This question received a variety of community descriptions. Three responded "yes" to the first question, but described their communities as Ahupuaʻa ʻo Keauhou and Miloliʻi. Three did not describe their communities.

Click here to download PDF of Resident Responses to Q7. What is most special to you about Punaluʻu?

Summary of Resident Responses

Across 265 survey responses, residents, spoke with remarkable consistency and passion about what makes Punaluʻu irreplaceable. While individual voices reflected deeply personal connections — from childhood memories to ancestral ties — seven core themes emerged clearly.

1. Wildlife and Turtle Habitat

By far the most frequently cited value, appearing in roughly 70% of responses, is the presence of honu (Hawaiian green sea turtles) and honuʻea (Hawaiian hawksbill sea turtles). For many respondents, the turtles are not merely an attraction — they are the reason Punaluʻu must be protected.

2. Natural Beauty and Undeveloped Character

Close behind, appearing in approximately 58% of responses, is appreciation for the raw, unspoiled quality of Punaluʻu. Respondents consistently described it as one of the last places on the island that has resisted commercialization. Phrases like "untouched," "gem," "raw and unspoiled," and "the feeling of Old Hawaiʻi" recurred throughout. The iconic black sand beach — formed from basalt and found in only a handful of places in the world — was cited as a defining and irreplaceable feature.

3. Community, Family, and Gathering

For a substantial share of respondents — approximately 38% — Punaluʻu is, above all else, a gathering place. This theme was especially strong among Kaʻū residents and generational families who described weekly visits, family milestones, childhood memories, and the feeling of belonging to a place.

4. Cultural and Historical Significance

Approximately 33% of respondents emphasized the deep cultural and historical significance of Punaluʻu. Several responses named specific features: the Kaneʻeleʻele Heiau and sacrificial stone, the presence of iwi kūpuna (ancestral remains), petroglyphs, and the area’s role as the piko (navel, spiritual center) of Moku O Keawe. Kānaka ʻōiwi respondents described Punaluʻu as the land where their ancestors rest, where their children's piko are buried, and where cultural practices like Makahiki and Lā Kūʻokoʻa continue to take place. 

6. Peace, Serenity, and Rural Character

Approximately 20% of respondents described a powerful sense of peace, calm, and spiritual restoration they associate with Punaluʻu. Words like "serenity," "tranquility," "mana," "sacred," and "the way it makes you feel" appeared frequently.

7. Access and Public Use

Approximately 12% of respondents specifically raised the importance of maintaining free, open, public access to Punaluʻu — particularly for Kaʻū residents. Given that Punaluʻu is described repeatedly as the only readily accessible beach in the region, its role as a public resource carries significant equity weight. Respondents mentioned boat access for fishing, parking for locals, gathering and subsistence activities, and the ability to come and go without gates or fees. Several respondents noted that tourism and commercial activity have already begun to displace local families and expressed concern that any further development could eliminate the community's primary connection to the ocean.

Click here to download PDF of resident responses to Q8. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Summary of Resident Responses

Seven core themes emerged from the 175 substantive responses, ranging from unified opposition to development to calls for jobs, cleanup, and community-centered management.

1. Opposition to Further Development

The most prevalent theme, appearing in roughly 55% of responses, was unambiguous opposition to any significant new development at Punaluʻu. Respondents expressed this in tones ranging from measured to impassioned, but the message was consistent: no resorts, no condominiums, no housing, and no commercial enterprises that would transform the character of the place.

2. Infrastructure Repair and Site Cleanup

Approximately 30% of respondents called for cleanup and repair of existing infrastructure — not new construction, but urgent attention to what has already deteriorated. The dilapidated remains of the former resort hotel and restaurant were cited repeatedly as eyesores, safety hazards, and symbols of neglect. Respondents called for the structures to be demolished, the land restored, and the pond behind the beach rehabilitated.

Respondents flagged the failing water and wastewater systems as urgent priorities, with particular concern about sewage pollution affecting the nearshore marine environment. The boat ramp was described as unsafe for fishing families. Bathroom facilities were called inadequate and unsanitary. Overgrown vegetation — including non-native grasses on the old golf course — was cited as a wildfire risk. Across these responses, a common thread emerged: fix what exists before entertaining anything new.

3. Wildlife and Environmental Protection

About 22% of respondents made specific calls for action. These included: better signage and consistent public education to prevent visitors from disturbing honu; a dedicated volunteer or ranger presence at the beach rather than relying on lifeguards; turtle-friendly lighting (red or amber) for any future infrastructure; a permitting system to limit the number of tour buses and control visitor flow; and removal of vehicles from the beach to eliminate petroleum runoff near the water.

One respondent who volunteers with the hawksbill monitoring program expressed alarm about the declining nesting numbers at Punaluʻu, citing recreational disturbance, private landowners constructing rock walls, and the threat of artificial lighting from any future development.

4. Community Ownership and Local Control — A Question of Kuleana

Roughly 18% of respondents raised the question of who should ultimately own, manage, and steward Punaluʻu. The most common answer was the County of Hawaiʻi, a community-based nonprofit, or the Ka'u community itself.

The broader point across this theme was that local residents — not outside investors or absentee owners — should have decision-making authority over the future of this place.

5. Limited or Balanced Development

Approximately 14% of respondents acknowledged that some level of improvement or modest development might be acceptable or even necessary, provided it was done carefully and in service of the community. These respondents tended to support restoration of the old restaurant or beachside facilities, expansion of the golf course area into a public park, a small visitor or cultural center, a farmers' market, or improved amenities that would benefit residents as well as visitors.

Economic need was the most common rationale. Respondents in this group pointed to the lack of local employment opportunities, the long commutes Ka'u residents face for basic goods and services, and the need for the younger generation to have reasons to stay. A key qualifier in nearly all of these responses was that any development should be low-density, community-controlled, and expressly forbidden from the coastal or shoreline zone.

6. Criticism of Current Ownership and Management

About 10% of respondents expressed pointed criticism of the current private ownership situation at Punaluʻu, with concerns ranging from water infrastructure mismanagement and exploitative rate increases to commercial vending practices perceived as unfair or harmful to the community. There was also criticism directed at elected officials, with one respondent questioning why meaningful action on Kaʻū’s many issues had been so slow in coming.

7. Visitor Management and Tourism Limits

Approximately 8% of respondents — focused specifically on the impact of tourism on Punaluʻu's character and ecology. They called for permit systems or timed entry for tour buses, limits on the number of visitors allowed at one time, and removal of commercial vending from the beach parking area. Several respondents noted that the area has been "discovered" and is now "overrun," with inadequate oversight or enforcement. One respondent observed that the volume of tourists has already displaced local families from a beach that once felt like their own: "The community has been effectively pushed out by tourism."

Develop and Implement Plans for Punaluʻu

Page 97 of the Kaʻū Community Development Plan introduces Section 7.1 – Develop and Implement Plans for Punaluʻu, and references each of the policies, advocacy initiatives, and community-based collaborative actions that pertain to Punaluʻu.

Click here for the reference list of policies, advocacy initiatives, and community-based collaborative actions.

Collaborative Action Guide 

Pages 79-78 of Appendix 8A: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide of the 2017 Kaʻū Community Development Plan outlines the next steps for developing a plan for Punaluʻu:

Need: Punaluʻu features a unique combination of significant resources: ecological (turtle nesting, wetlands), cultural (historic sites, natural beauty), recreational (shoreline access and trail, beach park, fishing, boat launch, golf course), and economic (boat launch, vacation rentals). However, not all of those resources are sufficiently protected or actively managed.

Punaluʻu is in the State Urban district, and it is zoned for residential and resort development (both by the County and DHHL). However, the existing water and wastewater system infrastructure appears to be in poor condition and significant maintenance, repairs, and upgrades may be necessary. Moreover, portions of Punaluʻu designated for development are vulnerable to hazards, including wildfire, floods, tsunamis, and sea level rise.

There is community consensus about what the future of Punaluʻu should hold. Elements of that shared vision include:

• Keep It Ka‘ū: Punalu‘u should always be true to – and “feel” like – Ka‘ū. The size, uses, layout, and architecture of any future improvements should reflect and preserve Ka‘ū’s open spaces, views, Hawaiian heritage, rural lifestyle, and “local” character. Punalu‘u should also protect and strengthen Ka‘ū’s powerful connection between people and place. Unrestricted shoreline, beach, and park access should be maintained for boating, swimming, surfing, hiking/walking, fishing, gathering, camping, cook-outs, and cultural practices.
• Take Care: This means taking care of Punalu‘u’s rich natural and cultural resources. The communities that have flourished in Ka‘ū for generations should be honored through careful stewardship of ancient and historic cultural sites as well as the natural beauty, water quality, wetlands, ponds, springs, and native and threatened species and habitats in the area. Interpretative signage should be installed to educate residents and visitors about Punalu‘u’s special history and natural systems. This also means taking care of Ka‘ū’s people. Punalu‘u should be a resource for keiki, kupuna, ‘ohana, and community. It is already used as a formal and informal research and education site, and those uses could be expanded to include training for cultural practices, traditional and modern trades, recreation, eco-tourism, natural resource management, archaeology, and many other fields. It should also provide new economic opportunity and options for residents of Ka‘ū – providing security and stability for thriving families and communities.
• Can Do: The people of Ka‘ū must have a stake in both planning and managing Punalu‘u’s future. They are committed to Ka‘ū and have significant wisdom, passion, talent, and resources to invest. Through time-tested local protocols, “talk story,” and aloha, they can agree on a balanced path forward.

Potential Community Lead: Action Committee

Potential Community Partners: kupuna, those with historic kinship with or knowledge of the land, SM Investments, O Ka‘ū Kakou, Ka‘ū Preservation, Ho‘omalu Ka‘ū, Scenic Byway

Potential Allies: County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Cultural Resource Commission, Parks and Recreation, PONC), Department of Land and Natural Resources (SHPD, DAR, Nā Ala Hele), Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Kamehameha Schools, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Queen Liliʻuokalani Children’s Trust, UH Sea Grant, Hawai‘i Island Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project, The Nature Conservancy, KUA: Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo, Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawai‘i (PATH), Hawai‘i Ecotourism Association, National Park Service (HVNP, Ala Kahakai), NOAA, USDA Rural Development, Economic Development Administration

Immediate Next Steps:

• Determine interest among stakeholders (starting with potential partners and allies listed above) in a collaborative process to develop and pursue strategies to achieve the community’s shared vision for Punaluʻu.
• Consider use of an independent third party to facilitate the planning process.
• Consider a range of viable alternative future scenarios (see Appendix V4B), including these variables:
  • A mix of tools for protecting ecological and cultural resources
  • A variety of complementary uses, possibly including open space, wilderness, botanical gardens, agriculture, aquaculture, resort lodging, more housing, more recreation, dining, retail, education, training, and research
  • The spectrum of feasible scales of improvement
  • Required infrastructure improvements
  • Appropriate hazard mitigation measures
  • Jobs and other economic opportunities
  • A range of community benefits, including shoreline access, shared equity/revenue, affordable housing, “local hire first” policies, local business development, educational and cultural facilities, and other community services, along with proven methods for ensuring accountability.
  • A range of collaborations, including creative models of ownership and management (see Appendix V4C).
• Use objective criteria to assess the strengths and weaknesses of alternative scenarios and strategies.
• Identify preferred scenarios and strategies.
• Develop detailed plans.
• Implement those plans.

For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 147-184 of Appendix V4B and many sections of Appendix V4C, including but not limited to pages 62-69 and 151-173