From Marion:
Last week, KAHEA submitted written testimony to the State Land Use Commission in opposition to “the proposal by Molokai Properties Limited to build 200 luxury estates at La’au Point” which will negatively impact the environment and culture.
Our comments point out that: although there is overwhelming scientific evidence supporting that the main Hawaiian Islands serve as foraging and breeding grounds for monk seals and millions of dollars for research and monitoring have been set aside, little has been done by the state and federal governments to permanently protect habitat — like that La’au point. The truth is that the single most important action we can take to save monk seals is provide them places of permanent pu`uhonua, true and forever sanctuaries. Monk seals survive best when left alone in a place where humans do not dominate the landscape, in sanctuaries marked only by the presence of blowing sands and waves crashing against jagged lava formations at the water’s edge.
Further, because “Molokai is one of a few communities that still have resources to sustain traditional subsistence”, they need to be honored and protected to ensure the perpetuation of these traditional practices of gathering for their families and communities. The reason why these practices still remain today have to do primarily with the fact this shoreline is undeveloped and difficult to access.
The proposed development will limit access to this 5-mile stretch of coastline by providing only two points of entry, one at each end of the proposed coastline development even though the “state law requires that public access to the shoreline be available every quarter mile” which is clearly not honored in this proposal.
The Molokai community has voiced their undying concern regarding the relentless and greedy development plans of Molokai Properties Limited. The community has no interest in having a community split and culturally and socially restricted by the influx of big money. Today, they are standing up, protecting their inherent rights to collect what they need from the mountains to the oceans that keeps their culture alive.
To make this place no more than a picture postcard tropical beach destination is to strip it of its most fundamental and uniquely Hawaiian identity. We stand together with communities on Molokai to share the view that the sea, land, culture, and people remain vital in marking this land as a Hawaiian place.
Click here to read comments on the EIS:
KAHEA’s comments in opposition to the development at La’au Point
Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ Comments on the development La’au Point
Great article and great comments, KAHEA! I too am opposed to the La’au development for many reasons. And OHA’s ones are very critical of the proposal too. Interesting.
By the way, I noticed you wrote that the development is along a “40-mile stretch of coastline,” but I’m not quite sure what you mean by that. Isn’t the entire shoreline of the whole island of Molokai onle about 40 miles? I know that the La’au development is proposed along 5 miles of pristine shoreline at La’au (not 40).
But this doesn’t change your fundamental argument about access: that the law requires public access points in subdivisons to be placed at “reasonable” distances form one another (usually about 1500′ apart). The La’au access plan only has 2 points – one at either end of the development, with 5 miles between them. Hardly what one could call reasonable.
And 5 miles would still be the longest coastal shoreline development in Hawai’i's history!
Anyway, again, great comments.
Aloha, Kalani Thompson
Aloha Kakou,
Kalani caught an important typo in the KAHEA comments. The La’au Point development affects 5 miles not 40. E kala mai.
We try hard to get things right… and we will continue to try harder in the future.
Aloha Aina,
Marti.
[...] But this is so not true. The community did not object to “every aspect” of the Plan; the community objected to the La‘au development aspect of the Plan. We have been consistent from the start in saying the there are many good parts of the [...]