HILT to help garden, not buy
Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (“HILT”) has been working with the Friends of Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, County of Hawaii, and other stakeholders to be a resource for the protection of the garden.
HILT’s Hawaii Island Director Janet Britt assisted in submitting the property to the Hawaii County’s Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission, where the garden is currently listed as the commission’s top priority, however, the land trust is not in negotiations to purchase the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden.
HILT works with landowners, community groups, and organizations to protect lands with unique natural and cultural resources important to communities across Hawaii using various conservation options including fee simple acquisitions, conservation easements, agreements to protect and enhance the natural resources on the lands.
The Friends of Amy Greenwell is working to develop a business plan for the property, and could be potential purchasers of the property. HILT could potentially be a resource for the Friends if they were to acquire the property.
HILT is also potentially willing to be a resource for other potential ethnobotanical garden operators or conservation buyers who may be willing to purchase and preserve the ethnobotanical garden.
Kawika Burgess
HILT CEO
Golf and Tech can co-exist
Two recent opinions posted in the West Hawaii Today propose development of a high-tech facility (TMT and Univ. of Hawaii) on the golf course property owned by the Waikoloa Village Association (WVA).
The opinion from Roger Hanson states that high-tech facilities will increase residential property values much more than a community golf course.
What these proposals fail to recognize is that the WVA owns other large properties that are better suited for a high-tech facility, so there is no need to abandon the golf course. The WVA could generate additional revenue by leasing land in the under-utilized commercial/industrial park to high-tech interests.
This would be a true win-win for Waikoloa Village property owners. Property values would be preserved or enhanced by the golf course and high-tech facilities, and the WVA would generate additional revenue for the HOA reserve fund.
Richard Gillette
Waikoloa Village
Contraceptive care should be provided
Neil Gorsuch, the current nominee for the Supreme Court, supports “a business owner’s freedom not to provide insurance coverage for female employees’ contraceptive care” (source San Francisco Chronicle).
Is Gorsuch himself willing to personally take on the raising of all children resulting from the unplanned pregnancies due to that lack of contraceptive care?
Might the Democrats, like the Republicans, choose to wait for a confirmation of any nominee until the next president is elected?
Vivian Green
Waikoloa Village
Aloha spirit on display
We love coming to the Big Island. Even if it is for only a month or so, we think of Kailua-Kona as our winter home.
But this last visit I did something dumb. We went to see the sunset at Honokohau Harbor. I pulled onto the lava parking lot just a little too far and got stuck on a rock. In a short time, a group of guys came over with many good, and some bad, ideas of how to get off but to no avail.
We called AAA and they dispatched a tow truck. Meanwhile, some folks who saw we were having a problem came over to check on us. Our tow truck driver was a wonderful, helpful person who saved our bacon, and our car. So we were saved but what was really wonderful was the aloha spirit demonstrated that sunset on a lava parking spot. Mahalo to you all you wonderful representatives of the Big Island.
Blake Handley
Victoria, B.C., Canada