Committee defers county purchase of Wailuku shoreline parcel after Kupuna and church-title concerns

The Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee postponed consideration of a resolution authorizing acquisition of real property at 104A Lower Waiahu Beach Road in Wailuku after several public speakers asked the county to hold the matter so they could provide historical and title documentation and consult with the property's stakeholders.

What was before the committee: the administration presented a proposed county acquisition of the parcel adjacent to county-owned shoreline property (described by administration staff as a potential consolidation of open-space holdings). Finance staff said the parcel had been marketed and the owners had offered it to the county; the administration proposed using open-space preservation funds to acquire it to prevent private development on the site.

Public testimony and concerns: three speakers raised cultural and title concerns. Henry Mayo told the committee that his family and other Kuleana relatives have historical claims and warned the county not to acquire or otherwise allow transfer of land that might lack clear title; he said the LDS church had used the site but, in his view, did not have clear transferable title. Another testifier, La La (Lala) Johnson, asked the committee to defer the acquisition and allow time to gather documentation, including what she described as a Board of Commissioners (land commission) certified copy of the original transaction. A third speaker, who identified himself as a church member, urged sensitivity to church members as well, asking for careful handling of the matter.

Administration response and next steps: a finance department representative explained the parcel's location and said the county had earlier purchased adjacent property; the administration said it sought the parcel to keep the lot from private development and to consolidate public holdings. After hearing testimony and acknowledging paperwork questions, the committee chair deferred the resolution so the public and the administration could provide additional documentation and clarifications before any purchase question returns to committee.

Why it matters: the item implicates cultural claims, historic land transactions and public open-space acquisition policy. Committee members said they wanted to avoid a rushed action and asked the administration to provide further title and historical documentation and to coordinate with testifiers and the property owner (including the church, where applicable) before the committee considers the matter again.

Ending: The committee deferred the acquisition resolution to a future meeting and asked the administration to accept supplemental materials from the testifiers and to advise the committee on title status, any required easements or access issues, and how the proposed purchase would be integrated with adjacent county-owned shoreline property.