Hawaii County committee advances plan to acquire Kumukahi for stewardship by lineal descendants

The Hawaii County Committee of Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions on April 21 voted unanimously among voting members to forward Resolution 516-26 to the full County Council with a favorable recommendation, authorizing the director of finance to enter negotiation for acquisition of roughly 1,967.96 acres at Kumukahi in the District of Puna. The committee recorded eight ayes and one member excused.

The resolution, introduced from the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission (PONC) 2025 list and sponsored by Councilmember Kirkwitz, authorizes county officials to begin negotiations with willing landowners and to use the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation fund for acquisition or conservation easements. “This resolution again just authorizes the beginning of conversations for acquisitions of properties,” Councilmember Kirkwitz said in remarks supporting the measure, adding that property owners have generally agreed to sell or enter conservation easements and that community organizations are ready to steward the land.

Public testimony at remote and in-person sites emphasized cultural protections and lineal-descendant stewardship. Greg Owen told the committee, “My wish is that the county acquires Kumukahi and turns over the control and management of Kumukahi to the ancestral families,” and described historic features at the site that he said warrant strict protection. Kealia Prince urged the committee to “seek meaningful opportunities for stewardship and collaboration with the communities that they belong to,” naming local foundations and lineal descendants as potential stewards. Susie Osborne, co-founder of the nonprofit Ho'oululahui, said her organization would take the lead on fiscal management for stewardship and highlighted the group’s experience raising and managing grant funds for local projects: “We will be partnering, mentoring, and co-managing with the Kua Mo'o Legacy Foundation,” she said.

Several speakers pressed staff on process and timing. Ben Shapiro, a PONC program manager, described the sequence by which the commission's annual report goes to the mayor and then to council for resolution approval, and he said the mayor’s office decides whether to proceed after council action. Jean Campbell, deputy corporation counsel, told the committee that “in order for any property to be actively acquired by the county, it needs a resolution from this body,” citing the council’s authority under Section 2-218 of the Hawaii County Code; she also clarified that Kumukahi was not included in the 2024 bulk resolution and instead appeared on the PONC 2025 list, so this is the first specific resolution for the property.

Testimony also described the scale and vision for the site. Dika Kern urged committee members to review the PONC suggestion form and described the effort as a “very big deal,” noting the project involves roughly 2,000 acres and multiple landowners and cited examples of other jurisdictions that have pursued visitor policies centered on Indigenous stewardship.

The committee’s favorable recommendation means the measure will move to the full County Council for consideration; if passed there, staff said appraisal, due diligence and negotiations could proceed. The motion in committee was made by Councilmember Kirkwitz and seconded as recorded; the committee vote was 8 ayes, 1 excused. No final purchase price or closing timeline was set during the meeting.