To: William Aila, Chairman, DLNR, Hawai`i County Mayor Billy Kenoi, and Saul Pinto, CEO, Kohanaiki Shores LLC
Protect Public Access! Keep Kohanaiki (“Pine Trees") Jeep Trail Open!
For over 60 years, the Public has been able to drive on the jeep trail at Kohanaiki south to where a private restaurant, pools and other exclusive "members only" structures have recently been built. That traditional Public access is slated to end soon, replaced by pedestrian access only. The loss of continued vehicular access would make the beach more exclusive, decrease opportunities for the Public to access the shoreline, put a further limit on public parking, and make evacuation of the area in an emergency more difficult.
To protect the Public’s stake in it’s shoreline, we demand that Kohanaiki Shores LLC keep the jeep trail open to Public vehicular access, including parking and car camping as it has been since WWII.
To protect the Public’s stake in it’s shoreline, we demand that Kohanaiki Shores LLC keep the jeep trail open to Public vehicular access, including parking and car camping as it has been since WWII.
Why is this important?
For generations, Kohanaiki (“Pine Trees’) has been the heart of a huge part of Kona community's life and living Hawaiian culture. After 20 years of fighting development proposed for that coastal land, the community won many battles but lost the war to private golf course and luxury housing development. Environmental degradation incomparable to any that has occurred through generations of the land’s passive use is occurring, along with threats to traditional public access.
For 60 years, the Public has been able to drive to the south end of Kohanaiki for camping, picnicking, subsistence fishing, and other recreational and cultural activities; but that access is slated to change soon. Without that traditional access, the huge, southern portion of the so-called "public park" will become an exclusive playground of the Rich. Is that okay with you?
For 60 years, the Public has been able to drive to the south end of Kohanaiki for camping, picnicking, subsistence fishing, and other recreational and cultural activities; but that access is slated to change soon. Without that traditional access, the huge, southern portion of the so-called "public park" will become an exclusive playground of the Rich. Is that okay with you?