Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 3, 1 March 2021 — MYTHBUSTERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MYTHBUSTERS

Is OHA an experienced land manager? OHA first acquired land in 1988 when Pahua Heiau in Maunalua was deeded to OHA. Since then, OHA acquired and currently manages thousands of acres of legacy lands to protect our natural and cultural resources. These properties include Waimea Valley on O'ahu, Wao Kele o Puna on Hawai'i lsland, and Palauea Cultural Preserve on Maui. OHA has a decades-long track record of effective and responsible land management. What has OHA done with Kaka'ako Makai since they acquired it in 2012? OHA completed policy development and initial planning for the area, including a major conceptual master planning effort that included statewide input gathering from the community. Land use restrictions and long-term leases for some parcels that OHA "inherited" when the land was conveyed from the state have slowed progress in Kaka'ako Makai. Despite these challenges, the land currently generates about $4.5 million annually, a portion of whieh funds grants to the Native Hawaiian community. Should OHA have accepted the Kaka'ako Makai settlement without residential zoning? After decades of fighting at the Legislature and in court to eompel the state to pay its debt to Native Hawaiians, OHA believed that the 2012 settlement was the best deal it could get at the time - and into the foreseeable future. In 2012, after rejecting proposed settlements for four consecutive years, legislators were at odds about whether OHA should be allowed to build housing on the lands proposed for transfer to the agency. OHA decided that accepting the lands with the existing residential prohibition and committing to return to the Capitol for further discussions after conducting our due diligence and planning, was the best option for our beneficiaries. These lands are clearly valuable, and despite being underutilized, they still generate revenue that helps to fund community grants. If OHA gets involved in residential development won't it result in public land sales? OHA's Kaka'ako Makai lands are not "public lands." Onee the state conveyed these Kaka'ako Makai lands to OHA, these lands became Native Hawaiian trust lands. In the spirit of lndigenous self-determination, Native Hawaiians deserve the right to determine the use of their own lands and OHA is seeking to acquire that right for Kaka'ako Makai. OHA's immediate goal is to obtain the ability to choose between all available options for its land. If successful, OHA will perform a thorough analysis, carefully weigh all options, and determine a development scenario that honors our culture and creates the greatest value for our beneficiaries.

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Parcels on whieh OHA WOULD LIKE TO consider residential uses

Parcels on whieh OHA WILL NOT seek to develop residential uses

Kaka'ako Makai Revenues

20% gross to OHA Grants to benefit Native Hawaiians (FY21 $883,804)

50% of net to mōlama Legacy Lands (FY21 $1.5 million)

50% of net for Kaka'ako Makai operations (FY21 $1.5 million)

A - 1011 Ala Moana Blvd. and Kewalo Basin

C - 59 Ahui St.

E - 919 Ala Moana Blvd. [AAFES]

G - 160 Koula St.

K - 40 Ahui St [Point Panie]

B - 123 Ahui St. and 113 Ahui St.

D - 45 Ahui St. and 53 Ahui St.

F - 160 Ahui St.

I - Ala Moana Blvd.

L - End of Keawe St.

MYTHBUSTEhS ■ Won't residential towers at Kaka'ako Makai take away needed green space? OHA's land at Kaka'ako Makai is on either side of the Kaka'ako Waterfront and Gateway parks. Both parks are city properties that will not be touched by OHA's planned development. In fact, OHA hopes that its development will complement these public green spaces by incorporating verdant landscaping using Native Hawaiian plants in the outdoor spaces of its building projects, regardless of use. Won't building residential towers on OHA's lands degrade the shoreline? OHA's 30 acres at Kaka'ako Makai sit on a peninsula made entirely of man-made landfill. Regardless of what type of development OHA pursues, there will be no further degradation to the shoreline than what was suffered when the reef was filled in almost 70 years ago. In addition, oeean access on the makai shoreline nearest OHA's parcels are not under OHA control. And access to the oeean on the harbor side of OHA's parcels are subject to harbor rules. Regardless of whether OHA builds commercial or residential buildings, the environmental impact to the shoreline area will be negligible. In light of climate change and rising sea levels, isn't residential development at Kaka'ako Makai a questionable investment? While our properties are near the oeean, they also sit at higher elevation than the cross streets and main streets that lay mauka ofthe peninsula. As a result, climate change and sea level rise are predicted to affect our Kaka'ako Makai parcels in ways similar to areas of Honolulu located mueh further inland. A 2012 study found that the potential sea level rise (four feet) expected near the end of the century, or early next century, will cause drainage problems due to rainfall, groundwater rising, and oeean water flooding. The areas up mauka near the Neil Blaisdell Center will be impacted as mueh as our parcels, according to the study. Further modeling shows the McCully area, despite being far away from the oeean, being impacted similarly. OHA's development plans will incorporate recommendations from studies like these to address predicted drainage issues. Won't residential towers at Kaka'ako Makai alter the cityscape and hloek oeean views? Kaka'ako has been evolving for decades from a light industrial area to a residential walking community. Yes, development of residential towers at Kaka'ako Makai will bring additional changes to the the Kaka'ako community, but no more so than any other recent development in the area. The vision of Kaka'ako has not yet been achieved, and Native Hawaiians should have the same opportunity to participate in the revitalization of Honolulu's urban core with a mixed-use project that ean complement existing mixed-use development mauka of Ala Moana Boulevard, while adding a distinct Hawaiian cultural presence and identity.

221,372 sq. ft.

.t E'*.-- •— 88,996 sq. ft.

95 832 sq. ft. ^

110,904 sq.ft.

69,000 sq. ft.

137,213 sq.ft.

jutF I- — 40,841 sq. ft. M

200,942 sq.ft.

143,316 sq.ft.

L. i 227,645 sq. ft.