Temporary road closure needed to make Kohanaiki park improvements

The mauka-makai beach access road to Kohanaiki Coastal Community Park will close for approximately six weeks for road improvements. This temporary closure, starting Aug. 6, is a safety precaution and construction requirement, said Kaimi Judd, Kohanaiki Shores project manager.

Situated along 1.5 miles of coastline, the park can still be accessed from the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority road north of Kohanaiki. Daily beach area use and camping at the popular “Pine Trees” surfing and diving spot in North Kona will continue during the construction, Judd said.

The road work is part of an overall improvement plan for the long-fought-for shoreline park, slated to be completed in December. Improvements began in June with groundwork and grubbing for the roadway, parking areas and restrooms/shower area, as well as moving and transplanting of trees and other flora in the way. During the closure, construction crews will continue grading and paving of the mauka-makai beach access road. Afterward, landscaping will be added, Judd said.

The current shoreline access from Queen Kaahumanu Highway will eventually be closed, under the terms of memorandum of understanding between Kohanaiki’s developers and government officials. Property owners — Kohanaiki Shores and Rutter/KW Kohanaiki LLC — are proposing to construct a portion of a frontage road, which, as planned, will someday stretch from Kona International Airport to Honokohau Small Boat Harbor, as well as reduce vehicular access points to the highway. The proposed frontage road would also connect to the mauka-makai beach access road, Judd said.

Public use of the road and beach area varies, with the heaviest times happening on camping and high surf days, he added. Judd did not know exactly how many people use the mauka-makai beach access road daily as of press time.

Once completed, the park will be turned over to the county and open daily. However, caring for the park will be the responsibility of Kohanaiki Shores, the county and the community.

The park will include bathrooms and outdoor showers, camping, a halau for cultural practices, parking and improved roadways to the shoreline and within the park.

A pedestrian trail along the length of the shoreline is already established as part of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail. A preservation and cultural plan, guided by the lineal descendants of Kohanaiki, is in place to oversee the conservation of historic and cultural sires at the park, as well as ongoing cultural practices.

Development plans for the parcel go back to at least the mid-1980s, then under Kona Beach Development Venture. That company’s original plan for the land includes two hotels, 1,150 homes, a 150-slip marina and a golf course.

An agreement reached in 2003 called for Rutter Development to set aside land for open space at the Kohanaiki property. According to the documents filed with the Planning Department, about 63 acres was to be converted into the golf course, managed by the development. Another 38 acres was to be park land. Park ownership was to be transferred to the county or to a quasi-public entity, the original proposal said.

Throughout the construction, as well as with the overall park plan and features, Judd said Kohanaiki Shores has distributed pamphlets and interacted with people one-on-one at the beach. Highway signs and advertisements in local newspapers have also helped keep the public informed.

During monthly meetings with park partners, Judd said Kohanaiki Shores provides regular updates about ongoing operations, on-site property improvements and any park progress.

“This has been a collaborative effort — one that can be used as a model to show how the county, developers and the community can come together, create a plan and work together to create something for our kids, their kids and so on,” he said.