Panel agrees to fund Muolea Point purchase

The Maui News
Friday, August 20, 2004

By SHERI TANAKA, Staff Writer

WAILUKU - Maui County Council members agreed on Thursday to allot $1 million to the Trust for Public Land for the purchase of Muolea Point, a culturally rich section of the East Maui coastline to be preserved in open space.

"We can be very proud of what we've done here," said Council Member Robert Carroll, who holds the East Maui seat on the council. "Knowing that that place is being preserved for our future generations is something that I think all of us feel more secured knowing."

The unanimous vote in the Budget and Finance Committee advances the last piece of funding needed to complete the purchase. The Trust for Public Land already has committed to buy the land with a $4.05 million short-term loan, but was waiting for the council to approve the county grant that had been left out when the council approved the 2004-05 county budget in May.

The committee recommendation will go to the full council for approval.

TPL already had received most of the remaining $3 million for the purchase, with a federal grant last year providing $2.1 million, and the state and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs putting up additional funding to reimburse TPL. An additional $172,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was announced earlier this week.

Joshua Stanbro, project manager for TPL said, the nonprofit group is hoping to turn over Muolea Point to the county by the end of this year.

"We are thrilled that the council has taken this step to protect Muolea and excited to help make this wonderful project happen for Hana," he said. "We hope that the council's support inspires other donors in the community to come forward and help us cover the last mile."

Muolea Point is a 70-acre parcel along a stretch of rocky shoreline that had been used as a summer home by King David Kalakaua. The site includes a heiau and adjoins an additional 430 acres held by Ho'onipa'a No Hana Foundation, a Hana-based land trust that is seeking to establish a cultural preserve on the lands that make up most of an ahupuaa, or traditional Hawaiian land division.

"This is going to be a community project to take care of the land in their area," said Council Member Charmaine Tavares.

In preparing for Muolea Point to become publicly held land, Carroll and Tavares had co-chaired a meeting in Hana, where the community agreed to set up a committee to create a management plan.

"There are all kinds of possibilities," Tavares said. "This committee will get together and determine what they should be and who it should be designed to."

The Management Plan Committee would include one representative from Ho'onipa'a No Hana Foundation, one from Kipahulu Ohana, four to six family representatives including kupuna from the Muolea area, three members from the Hana community, one representative from adjoining landowners and one representative of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Tavares said at the meeting it was also decided that the county administration and officials with the Trust for Public Land would serve as resources to the committee.

Stanbro said TPL still needs to raise $300,000 to cover its costs. It will also set aside funding to help the community get started on a stewardship program, with support for restoring cultural sites and protecting the land.

Once the Management Plan Committee is organized, it will decide whether it will assume the stewardship or select another body to serve as steward of the land, he said.

"There are significant archaeological sites that we need to preserve and protect for now and the future," Tavares said.

Carroll said he has memories of fishing, camping and diving at Muolea Point as a child.

"It's just an extraordinary place," he said.

Sheri Tanaka can be reached at stanaka@mauinews.com.

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