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Waimea Valley update: $3.75M EDA grant, parking changes proposed to avoid new traffic signal
Summary
Hiipaka/ Waimea Valley representatives briefed the board on a $3,750,000 EDA grant for visitor-center and cultural-site improvements, removal of paid front-lot beach parking to avoid a traffic-signal mitigation requirement, and an estimated construction start in 2025 with a possible September major-construction start.
Chad Middleton, director of operations for the project team presenting for Waimea Valley / Hiipaka LLC, told the board the project has been awarded a $3,750,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for capital improvements including an agroforestry garden, a traditional Hawaiian hale at Pu'ukua, visitor center renovations and a resource center for artisans and docents. "We were awarded a $3,750,000 grant by The US Economic Development And Administration for capital improvements at Waimea Valley," he said, and outlined a required SMA permit and conservation-district land-use permit for the project.
Chad said the project team received 18 comment letters during the draft EA notice and the Hawaii Department of Transportation advised that removing paid beach parking at the valley front could eliminate a traffic-signal warrant. "Through the comment period, Hawaii Department of Transportation ... commented that should the paid parking at the front of the valley ... be removed, that we would not need to implement the traffic mitigation, i.e., the traffic signal," he said. The team plans to publish a final EA in August, submit SMA and conservation-district permits later in 2024–2025, and target construction after permits are complete (tentative major construction in September 2025).
