Hawaiʻi County lease for Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park ends

The lease for the 6.8-acre Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park in Kaʻū is set to end this Saturday after negotiations between Hawaiʻi County and the landowner, Black Sand Beach, LLC, failed to reach an agreement. Following the expiration, all County-managed park services will cease, and park facilities and improvements will revert to the landowner.

Mayor Kimo Alameda stated that the County made multiple “good faith offers” to protect the public interest, but could not reach a solution acceptable to the community. The County had proposed a 10-year lease with annual payments starting at $159,300 to replace a 1998 agreement that cost $1 per year.

However, legal counsel for Black Sand Beach, LLC, has disputed the County’s characterization of the termination. Attorney Colin Sakumoto claimed his client did not terminate the lease and had offered additional extensions to allow for further negotiations, including a 30-day extension requesting County resources for storm-affected areas. Sakumoto indicated he is drafting a “conservation easement over Punaluʻu Beach Park to be given to the county” to ensure continued public access.