Keauhou Bay is a historic site tucked away in the southern part of the Kona District. It's best known as the birth site of Kauikeaouli, who would later become King Kamehameha III.
Today, it's open to the public and maintained by the Daughters of Hawaiʻi. The bay is a popular recreation site for the community — many use the small boat ramp to access the ocean. It's also home to commercial tour companies, who share ramp access.
Much of the land at the bay is owned by Kamehameha Schools, which is proposing a new management plan for nearly 30 acres in area — at the direction of Hawaiʻi County.
The Conversation talked to Marissa Harman, the director of planning and development for Kamehameha Schools, about the plan.
"The commercial space, as well as the proposed low-impact lodging on the bluff above the bay front on an already-zoned resort piece, will allow us to contribute to our overall educational mission by generating funds in what we see as an appropriate use of those lands as designated by the county general plan," Harman said.
She said part of the plan is also creating space for ceremony and educational uses around Kauikeaouli's birth site.
The draft EIS is available for the public to read and comment on by Aug. 7. Click here to comment on the EIS.
We also spoke with Jeff Caufield, a part-time resident of Keauhou Bay and a short-term vacation rental owner in the Kona area, about his concerns with the plan. He's a retired environmental attorney with years of experience helping to prepare environmental impact statements. Click here to listen to that interview.
This interview aired on The Conversation on July 22, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
