DLNR MASTER PLAN
This pdf file is the full text of the current Draft EIS/ Master Plan for Koke`e and Waimea Canyon State
Parks on the DLNR/Department of State Parks website.
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader
to open this file.
Summary of DLNR Development Proposals as stated in:
The Draft Environmental
Impact Statement and Koke`e and Waimea Canyon State Parks Master Plan, issued May 23, 2006.
The proposing agency of this 277-page document is the Division of State Parks, Department of Land
and Natural Resources.
The approving authority is the Governor of the State of Hawaii.
It was prepared by Honolulu consultant group, R. M. Towill Corporation.
The stated purpose of this master plan is to guide the management and development of Koke`e and Waimea Canyon State Parks for a 20-year period, until 2025. The stated goals are to protect, preserve, restore, manage, and enhance the natural, cultural, scenic, outdoor and recreational resources, and to generate money for the State. The Master Plan Notice from the State Office of Environmental Quality Control states: "To address the special demands of the public, several sites within the Parks will undergo intensive redevelopment. These sites include Kanalaohuluhulu Meadow and the four major lookouts at Pu`u o Kila, Kalalau, Pu`u Hinahina, and Waimea Canyon."
Some of the proposed redevelopment includes:
- A new park entry station (also referred to as, "entry booth" and "entry gate") will be built in the middle of the road at mile 6.8 at the entrance to Waimea Canyon State Park. Hours of operation are to be determined. According to the EIS, this "is an essential component of the Master Plan" (2.5.3A) as it will permit the State to charge an entry fee for park visitors (currently exempting Hawai`i residents). (1.4.15) The cost to build this 100 sq ft entry station is estimated at about $357,500.00 and as a part of this plan, the existing ranger station located at the meadow is planned to be moved down the mountain as a "support building" and a minimum of 4 parking spaces and bathroom are also to be constructed at this site.
- A new 40-60 room hotel (referred to in the EIS as "overnight lodge facility") and greatly expanded parking are in the plans for the Koke`e Lodge/museum/park area, known as Kanaloahulululu Meadow (2.5.3N) along with additional commercial, retail, restaurant, and concession space. The parking area is to be enlarged to include 1 parking stall per hotel room plus 1 additional stall per 75 sq ft of retail, commercial, restaurant, and public display space (e.g., 100 stalls for 7500 sq ft of commercial space), plus additional parking for the campground and "development of bus parking" for an unspecified number of full-sized tour buses.
- Adding a concession for snacks and souvenirs, information and retail area at the viewing platform of the Waimea Canyon Lookout together with another dedicated concession pad in the parking area, a new parking lot and bus staging area. (2.5.4 Lookouts B.)
- Additional lookouts with paved parking areas and bus staging areas are planned to be added starting at about 4 miles up the road.
- The relocation of the Pu`u Hinahina Lookout facilities to the helicopter LZ site at about the 13.5 mile mark; paving over that meadow to accommodate the new facility's 40-car parking lot, ADA accessible pathways and restroom, view platform, interpretive signage, and picnic tables. The existing lookout would be converted to a trailhead for the Canyon Trail and the canyon rim view platform would be closed. (1.4.7 Lookouts)
- Widening the road to the Kalalau lookout to "safely accommodate full-size buses." (2.5.2B) [and] "Future improvements include;" a) widening the travelway to 20 feet to increase safety; b) providing shoulders (up to 10 feet) to allow space for pedestrians and the ability for vehicles to pull-off; d) designing and re-constructing Koke`e Road to accommodate large buses; (5.5.5 Findings)
- Expand the parking lot at Kalalau Lookout towards the west to triple existing capacity. (2.5.4. Lookouts D.)
- Auctioning the recreational cabins to the highest bidder world-wide in early September 2006. As of August 3, 2006, Peter Young, Chair of the BLNR has stated that they have made an executive decision to postpone the auction until next year.
