Agriculture currently constitutes a major economic sector of the island of Hawaii. Including processing, the agricultural industry accounts for about 9.5 per cent of the island's employment. (p. 2-2)

Unemployment rates during the 1980s and 1990s followed a similar trend as employment. Unemployment rates dropped drastically from 1980 to 1990 (6.2 per cent to 3.8 per cent, respectively) due to the County’s strong economy during this period. As the
economy slowed during the 1990s, unemployment increased to 10.2 per cent by 1997.
For 1997, the districts of Punaand Ka’u experienced the highest unemployment rates
at 15.6 per cent and 14.8 per cent, respectively. (p. 2-10)

Population

(p. 2-12)

The population of Hawaii County has grown steadily since 1980. According to the

2000 U.S. Census, the County’s population increased 23 per cent between 1990 and

2000. During the same period, the State’s population grew by 9 per cent. The district

of Puna saw the largest increase at 51 per cent, followed by South Kohala (44 per

cent), North Kohala (41 per cent), Ka'u (31 per cent), North Kona (28 per cent), South

Kona (12 per cent), North Hilo (12 per cent), Hamakua (10 per cent) and South Hilo (6

per cent).

Utilizing Series B, the County’s population is projected to grow 46 per cent to 217,718

from 2000 to 2020. South Hilo, currently the most populous district within the County,

will be eclipsed by the Puna District in 2020 with an estimated population of

58,246 compared to South Hilo’s 49,791.

The Puna District will continue to experience relatively strong population growth due

to the availability of relatively inexpensive lots that were created around the 1960s.

The growth of the population in North and South Kohala, North Kona and South Kona

are closely associated with the continuing growth of the visitor and agricultural industry

within these districts.

Economic Assessment, PKF Hawaii, January 2000

U.S. Census, 2000

Hawaii County Department of Research and Development

The population increased in Puna as a result of employment opportunities in agriculture

as well as job opportunities in Hilo. Also contributing to this increase was an inmigration

into subdivided areas due to the affordability of parcels within Puna. The

table above reflects the continuing population growth within the Puna District. The

population in Puna during the past 30 years has increased at a substantially higher rate

than the growth in employment.

Puna is primarily an agricultural district. The area also includes part of the Hawaii

Volcanoes National Park, large substandard subdivisions, forest reserves, and several

small concentrations of population. Most of the subdivisions were created prior to the

adoption of the Zoning Code in 1967 and are in agricultural zones.

Agriculture in the form of truck farming in the Volcano area; papaya in the Kapoho area;

and flowers, principally anthuriums and orchids, in the Mountain View, Pahoa and

Kapoho areas are important. The papaya and flower industries continue to experience

moderate growth. Factors currently limiting growth of these industries are the shortage

of labor, housing, processing requirements, and plant disease. Over 90 per cent of

the State’s papaya production comes from this County, with the majority from the

Puna district. The infestation of Puna papaya by the ringspot virus in the 1990s resulted

in 1997 production levels falling 55 per cent from 1992 production levels. It also

resulted in the dispersion of papaya acreage to other areas of Puna, South Hilo and Hamakua to escape the virus. With the acceptance of the genetically-engineered and disease-resistant

(b)

(c)

(d)

(l)

Chap. 4 – Environmental Quality

Chap. 5 – Flooding and Other Natural Hazards

The island is geologically very young and has not had a chance to develop defined watercourses in many areas. These poorly defined watercourses often overflow during rain storms. The South Kohala, North Kona, South Kona, Ka'u, Puna and South Hilo districts are particularly impacted by this problem.

On November 1, 2000, torrential rains stuck East Hawaii. The National Weather Service

reported approximately 27 inches of record rainfall at the Hilo International Airport within a 24-hour period. More than three feet of rain fell on some areas of the island, causing flooding in many areas of the County. The highest rainfall total was at Kapapala Ranch in Ka’u, where more than 36 inches was recorded within a 24-hour period. In Hilo, the Waiakea-Uka area was inundated with approximately 29 inches, the Piihonua area approximately 24 inches, Mountain View, nearly 29 inches, and Glenwood, 26 inches.

The record downfall overflowed streams and gullies, flooding roadways throughout

downtown Hilo and isolating neighborhoods in some areas of the eastern side of the island.

The districts of South Hilo, Puna and Ka’u were the hardest hit, with roads, bridges,

power lines, businesses and homes either damaged or destroyed. In Hilo, a portion of Komohana Street was destroyed, and near Pahala, three bridges and portions of Highway 11 were washed away. During the height of the storm, various sections of Highway 11 were impassable. Most of the major storm damage on the highway occurred in the Puna and Ka’u Districts. Besides severe scouring of the roadway pavement, shoulders and drainage outlets and inlets in Mountain View, Glenwood, Volcano and Pahala, as well as bridges at the Makakupu ford crossing, Kaalaala Stream, Keiawa Stream and Paauau Stream, were damaged beyond economic repair. Portions of the highway from the 49 to 52 mile markers were closed for approximately three weeks. Farms suffered heavy damage to crops and massive erosion, telephone service was disrupted, and some residents experienced power failures for nearly 12 hours. Although no lives were lost as a direct result of the storm, flood damage was estimated at $20,000,000. On November 9, 2000, a Federal disaster was declared for the island.

(p. 5-3)

In 1982, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published the "Flood

Insurance Study" for Hawaii County. This study investigates the existence and severity

of flood hazards in Hawaii. The flood boundaries for streams, and the flood insurance

zones and base flood elevation lines are delineated on the Flood Insurance Rate

Maps (FIRM). These maps are the principal result of the "Flood Insurance Study,"

and have been incorporated into Hawaii County's Flood Plain Management Program.

Unfortunately, there have been problems with the use and accuracy of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps. It has been demonstrated that the current Flood Insurance Rate Maps are not very accurate as to the location, position, and formation of geographic and geologic attributes. Thus, it is sometimes difficult to determine if a parcel is on the Flood

Insurance Rate Maps. Furthermore, there are many areas where there is no data to determine the flood potential. The absence of data does not mean an absence of potential

flooding in any particular area. Therefore, there is an assumption that flood risk is

minimal if a parcel is not in a designated Flood Insurance Rate Map area.

(p. 5-4)

The island of Hawaii is sinking, or subsiding, at different rates for various reasons.

Tide gauge data suggest that Hilo has sunk at a rate of 2.3 millimeters per year or approximately 4.5 inches in 50 years. At the same time, the sea level has risen about 1.8

millimeters per year, so Hilo has actually sunk about 8 inches relative to sea level in

the 50-year period. Other studies suggest a slightly slower subsidence rate of 2.2 millimeters per year over 39,000 years. Hawaii is slowly sinking due to the great weight

of the island that slowly bends the outer rigid layer of the earth. As the volcanoes

grow, their weight is greater than what the earth can support. Large earthquakes also

produce coastal subsidence. The magnitude 7.2 Kalapana earthquake in 1975 produced

coastal subsidence of approximately 10 to 11 feet near Halape, 3.5 inches at

Kaena Point, 20 inches in Kalapana and nine inches in Kapoho. An earthquake related

subsidence event such as this is equivalent to approximately 1,500 years of slow subsidence.

Following the 1975 Kalapana earthquake, coastal areas near Kapoho continue

to subside at a rate of approximately a few centimeters per year as the lower east rift

zone near Kapoho slowly widens. Portion of Kapoho Vacationland Subdivision fronting

the ocean are nearly completely submerged.

The climate of the Puna District varies considerably from the rocky shoreline to the

rain forest areas in the upper elevation. Rainfall amounts are generally heavy and

most of the district receives over 100 inches per year.

The district is subject to heavy rainfall and there is record of severe flooding.

Historically, flooding along the Belt Highway and the highway from Keaau to Pahoa had

been the most prominent problems of the district. However, highway improvements

have done much to alleviate the flooding on the roadways.

Currently, the lack of development and the extremely permeable soils have helped to

minimize major flooding and damage to life and property. However, as the amount of

development increases within the district, flood problems will also increase. Furthermore,

the conversion of land historically planted in sugar to other crops may increase

runoff. In this regard, Soil and Water Conservation District conservation programs

can help lessen the potential problem.

Some of the flood hazard areas for the Puna district are difficult to delineate due to the

lack of defined drainage ways. Recorded flood damage has mainly been caused by

surface sheet flows that are likely to occur anywhere when heavy storms strike. Examples

of this are found in Fern Forest, Eden Rock, Fern Acres, Orchidland, and Hawaiian

Paradise Park. In addition to these subdivisions, flooding occurs in certain

areas of Pahoa. Other areas, such as Hawaiian Acres, may be more defined. The

flooding below Mt. View may be the result of diversion of the Mt. View watershed

into some of the substandard subdivisions.

Systems that incorporate diversion channels to intercept sheet flows and main channels

to transport the flows away or through the area have been proposed for the communities

of Keaau and Pahoa. Along the Keaau-Pahoa Road, the State Department of

Transportation (DOT) has installed culverts to facilitate the movement of water and

minimize overtopping of the road in certain sections. In addition, the DOT plans to replace those culverts that are ineffective or inadequate.

Drainage systems incorporating the use of diversion channels to collect and transport

surface flows safely through the area are also proposed for Mt. View. A portion of this

system has been constructed.

The entire coastline is susceptible to tsunami impacts and hurricane storm surge inundation. However, much of the coastline is undeveloped and/or has high cliffs. This

renders most developed areas outside of the inundation zone and not subject to damage.

On November 29, 1975, an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter Scale centered

approximately three miles off shore of Halape generated a tsunami that killed

two people and resulted in $1,400,000 of property damage. The total damage of the

earthquake and tsunami amounted to approximately $4,100,000.

(b)

(c)

(d)

Chap. 6 – Historic Sites

6.5.1 Puna

6.5.1.1 Profile

Historically, the district of Puna did not have much political influence. However,

Puna is closely associated with the volcano goddess Pele. For the most part, Puna followed the course of the adjacent districts of Ka'u and Hilo. No strong family lines

evolved in the district for power over any of the other districts, and the lands of Puna

almost always went to the ruler of Ka'u or Hilo.

The most significant historical feature known in Puna was the Waha'ula Heiau, located

in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Unfortunately, it was destroyed in 1997 by the

ongoing eruption of Kilauea. This was the first luakini heiau (temples presided over

by the high chiefs) to be built by the priest Pa'ao, circa 1275 A.D., and the last in use

until its destruction was ordered by Liholiho in 1820.

Chap. 7 – Natural Beauty

7.5.1 Puna

Along the coast of Puna district the black sand beaches and tidal ponds are noted features

of natural beauty. The inland areas of Puna are lava land. Major areas of natural beauty are the 1960 Kapoho and the Pu'u O'o volcanic regions. The region is significant in that it represents the force of nature in altering the landscape feature into a cone and desolate field of lava.

A portion of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is also located within this district.

The following list of sites are examples of natural beauty in the Puna district.

The following designated exceptional trees are adopted by ordinance.

The Hamakua coast, from near Waipio Valley to Hilo Bay, is comprised of a sea cliff

100 to 300 feet high. Along the Hamakua Coast are boulder beaches that have formed

at the mouths of valleys and the numerous gulches. From Hilo to Leleiwi Point to

Keaau, the rocky shoreline of the Hilo coast is highly irregular.

The Puna coast from Keaau along Cape Kumukahi to Kalapana is partly low sea cliff

and partly the constructional surface of recent lava flows. The irregularity of the coast

a few miles to either side of Pohoiki is the result of several earthquakes and subsidence.

There are also black sand beaches on the Puna coast that were created when hot

molten lava reached the ocean, solidified, and shattered in the surf.

In addition to surface and coastal natural resources, the island also possesses sub-surface

resources. Areas in Puna have been designated geothermal sub-zones for the development

of geothermal energy and other areas of the island contain geological

features such as lava tube caves.

Chap. 9 – Housing

The Puna district continues to experience tremendous growth in population and housing

construction. The availability of residential sized lots at relatively inexpensive

prices, and its proximity to the Hilo urban and employment center has contributed to

this growth.

Most of the growth in housing construction has been single-family residential units.

This growth occurred in the non-conforming subdivisions created prior to the adoption

of the zoning and subdivision codes and are without basic infrastructure. As a result,

many of the homes are served by individual water catchments, electric generators, propane tanks and substandard roadways.

According to the Hawaii Housing Policy Update Study 1997, an additional 3,780 single

family dwellings were constructed in the Puna District between the years 1990 and

1996; more than double the number constructed in the other districts. However, the

Puna District also has the largest number of vacant parcels, which indicates further potential for in-filling of existing subdivisions.

The Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation (HICDC) has provided assistance with the construction of self-help housing within the Puna district. Since

1985, the Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation assisted with the development of the 15 single-family residential units within the Pacific Paradise Gardens

development and additional 20 units within Keaau.

According to the Hawaii Housing Policy Study Update 1997, there are approximately

8,155 households in the Puna District. Approximately 33 per cent of the households in

Puna have annual household incomes of less than $25,000. Approximately 18 per cent

have annual household incomes of less than $15,000. Nevertheless, approximately 82

per cent of the housing units are owned in fee. Another interesting figure is that 98 per

cent of all housing units in the Puna District are single family dwellings, the highest

percentage of all the districts on this island.

(b)

Chap. 10 – Public Facilities

10.2.4.1 PUNA

Public school complexes in the Puna District are located in the communities of Keaau,

Mt. View and Pahoa.

The Keaau High School complex is comprised of Keaau High School, Keaau Middle

School, Keaau Elementary School, and Mt. View Elementary School, and serves a total

enrollment of 2,441 students. Existing complex facilities are adequate to serve the

current enrollment. The new Keaau High School is being built in phases. As each

phase is completed, the incoming class (i.e. freshman, sophomores, etc.) can be accommodated.

The Keaau Elementary School is being built in a similar fashion. Thus,

in a few years, the need to transport students from the Keaau and Mt. View area will

not be necessary. Currently, 11th and 12th graders from Keaau commute to Waiakea

High School in South Hilo. At this time, the first phase of Keaau High School has

been completed and is in operation.

The Pahoa High School complex is comprised of Pahoa High and Intermediate

School, Pahoa Elementary School, Keonepoko Elementary School and serves 2,323

students from kindergarten through the 12th grade level. The natural population

growth and in-migration into the subdivisions in the area are contributing to the increased

pressure on education facilities at the Pahoa complex. In response to these

growth pressures, facilities have been expanded to accommodate the increased enrollment.

However, there is still overcrowding at the elementary school.

The Keaau, Mt. View and Pahoa branch libraries are joint community-

school facilities.

The Keaau facility has 21,332 volumes. The Pahoa and Mt. View facilities house

34,365 volumes and 18,345 volumes, respectively. Both library facilities are inadequate

in size to meet the needs of the students and community. Furthermore, the lack

of adequate pedestrian access and parking at these facilities is an ongoing problem.

(b)

(c)

(d)

Pahoa has a fire/EMS operation that serves the Pahoa-Paradise Park and Kalapana-

Kapoho areas. Thirteen miles away in Keaau is a 24-hour fire/EMS facility. Hawaiian

Beaches, Hawaiian Paradise Parks, Hawaiian Acres, Fern Acres, Fern Forest and

Waa Waa subdivisions and Volcano Village have 24-hour volunteer facilities.

The police station headquarters for Puna is housed in the Keaau public office complex

covering the entire district. A district substation is located in Pahoa.

(b)

The Keaau public office complex serves the entire district and houses police, fire and

courtroom services. No other State agencies are located here due to the district's relatively

close proximity to the Hilo complex. Post office facilities are located at Keaau,

Kurtistown, Mt. View, Pahoa and the Volcano area.

The County maintains a public works baseyard in Kurtistown and a State Highways

baseyard is located in Mt. View. The State facilities appear adequate. The County

baseyard may be relocated if land becomes available.

Health:

Health services in the district of Puna are provided by privately operated clinics in Pahoa

and Keaau.

Solid Waste:

Solid waste transfer stations are located in Pahoa, Kalapana, Volcano, Glenwood and

Keaau.

Cemeteries:

There are three public cemeteries serving the district at Kaimu, Malama-Ki and Kehena.

The latter has been covered by a lava flow. Use and maintenance of these sites is

on a limited basis.

(b)

Chap. 11 – Public Utilities

11.2.4.1 PUNA

11.2.4.1.1 Profile

Currently, there are four major water systems in the district: Olaa-Mt. View, Pahoa,

Kapoho, and Kalapana. The total average consumption of these systems is 1.2 mgd.

The Olaa-Mt. View water system consists of eleven service areas and extends along

the Volcano Road from the former Puna Sugar Company mill to the Olaa Reservation

Lots and along the Keaau-Pahoa Road to the vicinity of Kaloli Drive. Water for this

system is supplied by three deep wells. Two of the wells are located at the former

Puna Sugar Co. mill site and the third is near Olaa, between Keaau and Kurtistown.

The average consumption of this system is about 0.82 mgd. Olaa Well C, the primary

source for this system, has a maximum pump capacity of 2.0 mgd. Olaa Wells A and

B have capacities of 1.6 mgd and 0.72 mgd, respectively.

The Pahoa water system, located in the geographic center of the lower Puna region,

extends from Keonepoko Homesteads down along portions of the Kapoho and Pohoiki

Roads to Kapoho. The present average consumption is 0.40 mgd.

The Kalapana Water System extends from the Keauohana Forest Reserve along Highway

13 down to the Kaimu Beach intersection and continues in a southwesterly direction

along Highway 13, ending in the vicinity of Kaimu. The water for the Kalapana

system is supplied by two deep wells at Keauhana with maximum pump capacities of

0.38 mgd and 0.50 mgd.

The Hawaiian Beaches subdivision located in Waiakahiula is served by a privately

owned water system. The developer had constructed this non-dedicable system.

The Glenwood and Volcano areas are presently not serviced by any public water system.

Many of these areas still depend on roof catchment systems.

(b)

(c)

(d)

The Puna district is characterized by many small towns, largest of which are Keaau

and Pahoa, and large non-conforming subdivisions.

At present, most residents in the Puna district are served by individual sewerage systems.

The use of cesspools and individual household aerobic treatment units will

probably be continued until such time as increased population distribution and densities

make it economically feasible to install municipal sewerage systems.

Residences near the coastal areas are much more vulnerable to unsatisfactory results

with individual disposal systems because of the relative proximity of the groundwater

table to the ground surface. The close proximity of the groundwater table reduces the

efficiency of individual disposal systems because there is less filtration that can occur

before the effluent reaches the ground water. This reduced efficiency may also affect

the quality of nearshore waters due to the reduced filtration.

(b)

Chap. 12 – Recreation

Some districts have benefited more than others in terms of the number of facilities-based parks and beach parks relative to population. North Kona, South Kona, South Kohala and Puna have the least amount of County facilities-based parks and beach parks in relation to population.

Presently, the parks in the Puna district are inadequate to serve the needs of the residents.

Recreation programs are centered around team sports for young people, and social

and cultural activities are limited. Cool and rainy weather requires that there be

extensive covered and indoor recreational areas. County community parks are located

at Hawaiian Beaches subdivision, Mountain View, and Kurtistown. Tennis courts and

ballfields are available at the district park (Herbert Shipman Park) in Keaau. However,

parking facilities need improvement. There is a neighborhood center in Pahoa that

is heavily used for community meetings and events; educational, cultural, and senior

citizens programs; health and welfare programs; and indoor recreational activities. A

50-meter Olympic-size swimming pool at the Pahoa Neighborhood Facility, completed

in 1997, now provides the residents of Puna with a world-class swimming facility.

School playfields are used at Keaau, Mountain View, and Pahoa. Drainage is often a

problem on the playfields. The Department of Education maintains gymnasiums at

Pahoa and Keaau, covered and outdoor basketball courts at Mountain View, and tennis

courts and ballfields at Pahoa. The County has a gymnasium at Mountain View, outdoor

basketball court at Kurtistown and Hawaiian Beaches and tennis courts at Keaau

and Kurtistown. Ballfields are also located in Mountain View, Kurtistown, and Hawaiian

Beaches subdivision. A multi-purpose sports field is proposed at the Hawaiian

Beaches Park.

School activities take precedence over public use of joint-use facilities. There are

lighted ballfields in Pahoa and Keaau.

Many of the other parks in the Puna district are heavily used by Hilo residents for picnicking, camping, swimming, surfing, and fishing. The proximity of Puna makes it

easy for people in Hilo to travel to these areas.

The County's 1.7-acre Isaac Hale Beach Park is a beach area offering picnicking,

camping, fishing, surfing, and swimming when the ocean is calm. A boat launching

ramp facility is presently provided adjacent to the park at Pohoiki Bay. The present

park area and facilities are inadequate. Cars, boats, and boat trailers often occupy areas

within the park that could be used for recreational opportunities. Expansion of this

park has been initiated by the County with the purchase of an adjacent 22 acres of land

mauka of the existing park to be developed with additional parking areas, playgrounds,

boat parking area, picnic facilities and restrooms.

Kaimu Beach Park’s famous black sand beach and adjacent coconut grove, once one

of the most photographed scenic attractions on the Big Island, were covered by lava

flows from Pu`u O`o Crater, Kilauea Volcano in 1990. Less than a mile away, Harry

K. Brown Park, at one time the Puna district's most popular beach park, was inundated

in the same eruption.

In 1993, the County purchased approximately six acres of land situated 2,000 feet to

the northeast of Isaac Hale Beach Park in an effort to replace park land destroyed by

lava. The new Ahalanui Park features a naturally-occurring warm spring (Mauna Kea

Pond) and a grassed area with scattered ornamental and coconut trees. Proposed improvements include the construction of a 54-stall parking lot, renovation of existing

structures to accommodate a caretaker’s cottage and community center, the construction

of restrooms, access roadway and infrastructure improvements.

MacKenzie State Recreation Area (13.1 acres) is an ocean-oriented and forest park located between Pohoiki and Opihikao at the edge of the Malama-Ki Forest Reserve.

Fishing, picnicking and tent camping are recreational activities of this park. Within

the park is a well-preserved segment of the ancient Hawaiian King's Trail.

The State’s undeveloped Nanawale Park site, consisting of 78.3 acres, is located adjacent

to Honolulu Landing, along the Puna Coastal Road between Kapoho and the Hawaiian

Shores Subdivision.

Near the Kapoho-Pohoiki junction, the Lava Tree State Monument (17.0 acres) features

lava trees and large volcanic earth cracks and has a footpath, picnic facilities, parking area, and restrooms. The park is landscaped, well maintained, with adequate

facilities and area for present use. An additional area adjacent to the present park has

been reserved for future expansion.

The County's Glenwood Park (1.1 acres), located along the Volcano Highway, adequately serves travelers as a picnic and rest stop.

Approximately 60,000 acres of the 229,176-acre Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is

located within the Puna District. The facilities of the park for passive and active recreation are readily accessible.

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(g)

(h)

(i)

(j)

Chap. 13 – Transportation

Primary routes within the Puna district are the Volcano Road (Highway 11), which

provides access to Hilo and serves the upper Puna region; the Puna Road (Highway

130), serving lower Puna from Keaau to Kalapana-Kaimu; the Kapoho Road (Highway

132), from Pahoa to Kapoho; and the Puna Coast Road (Highway 137), linking

Kapoho and Kalapana-Kaimu. The latter road is basically a narrow, paved cinder

road. Recent upgrades have greatly improved Highway 130 from Keaau to Kalapana

and Highway 11 from Hilo to Volcano. However, the majority of the roads throughout

the district are inadequate by present standards. As the only two primary routes

serving the district, Highway 130 and Highway 11 are congested during the work

week for Hilo-bound traffic as the population in the district continues to grow. The recently completed Keaau By-Pass Highway re-directs Hilo- and Pahoa-bound traffic

around the town of Keaau, avoiding the congested intersection of Volcano Highway-

Keaau-Pahoa Road.

Many sections of the roads in this district have drainage systems that do not meet

present standards or have sharp curves and grades without adequate sight distance. In

several communities, buildings directly abut or encroach onto rights-of-way.

Most private roads in large subdivisions are cinder-surfaced and deficient in layout

and construction. During the development of these large, substandard subdivisions in

the 1950s and 1960s, limited attention was given to proper roadway base construction

and drainage. There is also a network of private old plantation roads throughout the

area.

(b)

There are several small private aircraft landing strips developed by the former sugar

industry for use by "crop-dusting" single engine aircraft.

The County has purchased twenty-two acres of land on the mauka side of Isaac Hale

Beach Park for the construction of additional car and boat parking areas, playgrounds,

picnic and bathroom facilities to supplement the heavily used boat launching facilities

at Pohoiki.

(b)

Chap. 14 – Land Use

Lands for agricultural parks are areas set aside by the State specifically for agricultural

activities to encourage continuation or initiation of such agricultural operations. The

State's Agricultural Parks Program makes land available to small farmers at reasonable

cost with long-term tenure. The State Department of Agriculture currently operates

four agricultural parks on the island, one each in the districts of Puna, South Hilo, Hamakua and North Kona.

The major agricultural businesses in Puna include macadamia nuts, flowers, foliage,

papaya, bananas, tropical fruits and vegetable production. The Puna district is the major

papaya growing region in the State. In the past, the papaya industry has been faced

with challenges from fruit flies and the Papaya Ringspot Virus. Today, the industry is

thriving due to the development of several methods of quarantine treatment and the

development of a genetically engineered disease resistant variety. The papaya industry

is continuing its efforts to find an acceptable alternative to ethylene dibromide

(EDB) fumigation to control fruit flies.

There is a fairly sizable planting of macadamia nuts on the Hilo side of Keaau. Additional

plantings may be anticipated as the market dictates. Other future agricultural

uses projected include expansion of papaya, bananas, cacao and tree farms, coffee and

kava (awa).

Vegetables and a variety of fruits are also grown in the Puna District. Some of the

more exotic types of fruits being grown include lychee, rambutan, cherimoya, starfruit,

sapodilla, mangosteen, jackfruit, guava, breadfruit and atemoya.

Flowers, chiefly anthuriums and orchids, are grown throughout the district. The major

flower cultivation areas are Mt. View, Pahoa, Kapoho and Volcano. Numerous truck

farms are located in the Volcano area. Major crops are lettuce, temperate range flowers

and cabbage.

The Puna district also has the potential for agricultural processing and manufacturing

opportunities utilizing the geothermal resources of the area. These direct use applications

of the geothermal resources need to be located within effective proximity of the

resource itself and may require the need for new forms of land use management and

control.

The State has made lands available for agriculture at the 60-lot Pahoa Agricultural

Park, that covers an area of approximately 600 acres. The agricultural park is fully occupied with no lots available for lease.

There are approximately 198,747 acres zoned for agricultural use in Puna.

Commercial activity in the Puna district primarily consists of small rural enterprises

that serve the surrounding rural-residential and agricultural communities.

Commercial activity is mainly located in the communities of Keaau and Pahoa, with

lesser activity in Orchidland Estates, Mountain View, Kurtistown, and Glenwood.

The communities of Keaau and Pahoa are the commercial centers of the district. The

extent of commercial development consists of a shopping center in Keaau and grocery

and general merchandise stores, service stations, and miscellaneous retail shops and

services. The majority of these retail enterprises primarily serve the immediate surrounding communities.

W. H. Shipman, Ltd. is currently seeking to rezone approximately 32 acres of land in

Keaau from an Agricultural to an Industrial-Commercial Mixed Use district. The

project site is located adjacent to the Shipman Business Park and mauka of the Volcano

Highway-Keaau Bypass intersection. W.H. Shipman plans to initially develop a

shopping center with up to 118,000 square feet of retail floor area on approximately 16

acres located within the northern half of the 32-acre project area. The balance of the

project area is proposed to be developed as a mixed use commercial/light industrial

area with approximately 100,000 to 125,000 square feet of floor area. Completion of

this project is anticipated in 2008.

Population is scattered throughout the district and the remainder of the commercial activity is minimal. Proximity to Hilo limits the demand for commercial activities as

Hilo is, to a great extent, the major shopping area for the residents of Puna.

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

There are approximately 490 acres of industrial zoned lands in the Puna District.

The 488-acre W.H. Shipman Industrial Park is located near the Puna-South Hilo District

boundary. It is being developed as another major industrial center for East Hawaii.

Industrial uses in the area range from warehousing to construction yards. W.H.

Shipman Ltd. also has plans for additional mixed use industrial-commercial zoned

lands in close proximity to the industrial park.

The Puna District includes various agricultural industrial activities including the Mauna

Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation's processing facility, flower packaging, and papaya

processing and packaging. Other industrial activities in the area include cinder and

rock quarrying and certain cottage industries.

The Puna Geothermal Venture power plant began operation in 1993. It currently produces 30 megawatts of energy from the use of geothermal steam.

The Puna geothermal resource subzone is identified on the General Plan Land Use

Pattern Allocation Guide map. Activities associated by the use of the geothermal byproducts may be established within and/or in close proximity to the geothermal resource subzone.

(b)

(c)

The Puna district has approximately four acres zoned for multiple residential use. The

predominant form of housing in the district is single family development. However,

due to the forecasted population growth, the demand for multiple residential development

may increase.

The Puna district has approximately 2,677 acres zoned for single-family residential

use.

The district has thousands of non-conforming residential-sized lots that lack the basic

infrastructure necessary for development and/or are held in speculation. Nevertheless,

construction of single-family dwellings within these non-conforming subdivisions has

increased. The district is a bedroom community to the Hilo area.

(b)

(c)

The visitor industry in the Puna district is primarily comprised of bed and breakfast

visitor units. A drive-in restaurant currently occupies the district’s only resort-zoned

area of one acre located in Kaimu. The principal visitor attraction in the region is the

Kalapana Extension of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Although resorts have been proposed previously in the Kaimu-Kalapana, Kapoho, Pohoiki, and Opihikao areas, none of these have materialized. These areas are also subject to volcanic activities, subsidence, and tsunami inundation. These areas also lack

most of the basic infrastructure improvements necessary for development.

(b)

Chap. lacks District Profiles & Courses of Action for Open Space