OHA GAINS TITLE TO WAIMEA VALLEY
HONOLULU
— On June 30, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs became the legal owner of
Waimea
Valley
, after months of negotiations and hard work. The 1,875-acre valley, located on
Oahu
’s
North
Shore
between Kawailoa and Pupukea, is rich in historical and cultural significance. The National Audubon Society currently manages the property and will continue to do so as long-term management plans are negotiated.
On Dec. 7, 2005, the Honolulu City Council considered a settlement offer which would have subdivided the valley. Faced with large protests from the community and many organizations, including OHA, the council rejected the settlement, and renewed negotiations over the fate of the valley began. On Jan. 5, 2006, the OHA Board of Trustees authorized the purchase of Waimea Valley, committing an amount not to exceed $2.9 million for that purchase. Later that month, Waimea’s former owner, New York developer Christian Wolffer, accepted a $14-million offer to settle the long-running lawsuit over the city’s 2002 forced purchase of the valley through condemnation.
In addition to the $5 million the city placed in escrow to pay for the valley, the remainder of the $14 million purchase price was shared by OHA ($2.9 million), the U.S. Army ($3.5 million), the state Department of Land and Natural Resources ($1.6 million) and the National Audubon Society ($1 million, advanced by OHA pending lease negotiation).
OHA Administrator Clyde W. Namuo stated that, “We are very grateful to all of our partners in this transaction who have worked so hard to protect this sacred place. After the headlines in January that announced that a basic settlement had been worked out, thousands of hours were spent by scores of people to make this transaction happen.
“We acknowledge the contributions of the City Council and the Mayor; the Legislature, Governor and BLNR Chair Peter Young; the Trust for
Public
Land
and the U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii; and the National Audubon Society in making this happen. In each of our organizations, many staff have been working on this since January, and they should be gratified to know that work has come to bear fruit.”
“The bottom line is that the ahupuaa that is this valley is going to remain intact,” said OHA Chairperson Haunani Apoliona. “OHA will ensure that Native Hawaiians will have a direct benefit and relationship with
Waimea
Valley
. OHA will also ensure that the people of
Oahu
, the State of
Hawaii
, the nation and the world grow in respect for, are renewed by, care for and support, learn from and celebrate this land of our ancestors,
Waimea
Valley
.”
OHA’s holding title to
Waimea
Valley
ensures protection and preservation of cultural and natural resources for Native Hawaiians, the entire
Hawaii
community and the world.
A rededication ceremony is being scheduled for early August to mark the transition of ownership.
Media contact:
Manu Boyd
, OHA Public Information Director, 808-594-1983. A map of known archaeological sites in Waimea Valley. Map adaptation by Joe LeMonnier, based on original by Joseph Kennedy 
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