This information was presented at the annual HOIECA membership meeting on 11/29/2023
In summary, if you set up a Native Forest Dedication and commit to long term forest management, you can reduce your property tax rate. The minimum parcel size is 3 acres and at least 60% of the area needs to be covered by native trees for Native Forest Dedication; there is a 20 year commitment and you do need to set up a management plan for your forest. For more details check out the Dedications webpage of the Hawaii Property Tax office'https://www.hawaiipropertytax.com/dedications.html specifically RP Form 19-59
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This was a presentation at the annual HOIECA membership meeting on 11/29/2023
Sampling for ROD: https://cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/rod/THE-DISEASE/SAMPLING Landowner's Guide to Collecting a Sample and Sampling Report Form: https://gms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=29796&dt=3&g=12 Frequently Asked Questions, including those below: https://cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/rod/THE-DISEASE/FREQUENTLY-ASKED-QUESTIONS - How can I identify an ʻōhiʻa tree that might have ROD? The ROD-causing fungi are not visible on the outside of the tree, so a few characters may help determine if your tree might be infected. First, an apparently healthy tree's crown will turn from green to yellow then brown and appear dead over a few days to weeks if it has ROD. Next, leaf death will not be scattered but entire branches or the entire crown will die at once. If the tree is in a location were ROD is rare or unconfirmed, then it is possible that the tree died from something other than ROD such as injury or other pathogens. There are several diseases that kill ʻōhiʻa trees and show symptoms similar to ROD. If the tree is in a location where ROD is already prevalent, then it’s very likely that the tree has died from ROD infection. To be positive that the tree has ROD, a wood sample must be submitted for testing. - What should I do if I think my tree has ROD? If you think your ʻōhiʻa tree has ROD, there are several actions you can take. Read about our current recommendations. You can email photos of the tree, a description of the timeline of your observations (seeing a healthy tree progress to dead) and the location of the tree (e.g., neighborhood, town, etc.) to the UH extension forester, J. B. Friday ([email protected]) or the UH ROD educational specialist Corie Yanger ([email protected]). You can also reach them by phone. Hawai'i Island residents can mail or deliver wood samples to Lisa Keith, Research Plant Pathologist, USDA/ARS DKI-PBARC, 64 Nowelo St., Hilo, HI 96720. Residents on other islands can submit samples to the local Hawai'i Department of Agriculuture Plant Quarantine Branch. A short video demonstrates how to take wood samples without felling the tree. This was one of the presentations at the annual HOIECA membership meeting on 11/29/2023
To receive funding, apply under the NRCS EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program). NRCS is part of the US Department of Agriculture. Their Hilo office is in the old downtown post office. 154 Waianuenue Avenue, Room 203 Hilo, Hawaii 96720-2452 Telephone: (808) 933-8381 Fax2mail: (855) 838-6327 https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/pacific-islands-area/hilo-service-center https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives This program is designed to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands. Basically, the aim is to preserve and/or improve the forest as wildlife habitat. In our case that means mainly improving it for the use of forest birds and bats. There is quite a bit of paperwork to fill out, but NRCS staff are very helpful in walking you through it. You usually apply by September 30th (end of the fed fiscal year) to be considered for funding in the next year; generally, you find out by May of the following year if your application is successful. But both of these deadlines can vary; they may extend the application deadline to the new year and approval to the next summer or fall depending on how busy they are. Once you contact NRCS to let them know that you would like to apply, they will send out staff to check out your property for a preliminary assessment. You then enter into a conservation contract with NRCS, working out the details with your assigned Planner over the next few months. The contract generally consists of three practices that have deadlines in one-year increments 1. Fencing, 2. Removal of invasive species, 3. Planting of native species. The contract will be tailored to your needs/abilities; for instance, you may fence 3 acres but only remove invasive species from one acre and plant native species on 2 acres. Or whatever combination. The list of which invasive species to remove is based on your Planner’s assessment. The list of native species you can plant needs to be approved by the NRCS ecologist to ensure that they are appropriate for the habitat of your site. For instance, you can’t plant a dry forest species in the wet forest even if it is native and seems to do well. After each practice of the contract (each step of the contract) is completed, you contact your Planner who then comes for a site visit to certify that the work was conducted according to contract specifications. Note that there are very detailed specifications, especially for fence construction. Note that this contract functions on a reimbursable basis i.e., you first do the work and pay for it and get reimbursed by NRCS after successful certification of each practice. There is a way to receive 50% of the fence budget up front to be able to purchase materials but you have to specify that you want this option and check the correct boxes on your paperwork before the contract is signed. Example reimbursement for a 3-acre property year 1: $18K for fencing. Year 2: $10K for invasive removal; year 3: $10K for planting native species. Reimbursement rates will vary depending on level of infestation of invasive species, number of native species planted. A note of caution from a community member: while it is possible to receive quite a bit of money from NRCS for this project be aware that it involves a lot of hard work even if you only clear part of your parcel of invasive plants and only plant the minimum number of native plants. Aloha HOIE residents and/or property owners,
Please join us at the annual HOIECA board meeting (details below). In a nutshell, there is not enough incoming funding to maintain our roads long-term. Especially considering that the two paved roads, Puolani and Alii Kane, now have accelerating deterioration. Not only is our current annual fee ($40) extremely low, it is voluntary, and so far in 2023 only 25% of lot owners have paid it. (Even in the best of years this number has rarely topped 50%.) That $40 covers 375 feet of road frontage (typical lot size), at 11 cents per foot. Compare that with other East Hawaii subdivisions: Fern Forest (mandatory): $180 for 125 feet of road frontage: $1.44 per foot Mauna Loa Estates (mandatory), $126 for 100 feet of road frontage: $1.26 per foot Hawaiian Acres (voluntary), $80 for 150 feet of road frontage: 53 cents per foot Paradise Park (mandatory), $396 for 135 feet of road frontage: $2.93 per foot To address this funding shortage, the board is considering both raising the dues and making them mandatory. With the funds we do receive, our current strategy has been to maximize their use by doing spot repairs and maintaining good drainage. Also, residents who undertake repairs on their own have been reimbursed for the cost of materials (within limits). So please join us at the annual meeting, to vote on these important matters. And perhaps consider joining the board -- we could use new blood! The current board is comprised of just five of your neighbors, many of whom have served over 10-15 years. In addition to regular board business, there will be presentations concerning federal funds to offset the cost of fencing, and property-tax relief via the County's Native Forest Dedication Program. Sincerely, Ted Pirsig, Chair Note: If you are receiving this notice by physical mail, please consider signing up for email delivery. Send your name and Tax Map Key (or street address) to: [email protected]. All email information is kept confidential, and never shared with any external entity. Agenda Board minutes review & approval Treasurer's report 2023 YTD road work report Supplemental presentations Annual membership dues rate Mandatory dues Proposed changes to bylaws Items from the floor Election of new board officers Supplemental presentations: Federal program that can offset the cost of fencing (Karin S.) Property tax reduction via the Native Forest Dedication Program (Ted P.) A full voting member includes all persons who own legal title, whether by deed, agreement of sale or otherwise. All full members with dues paid for the year shall be kept informed of the affairs of the Corporation in such a manner as may be prescribed by the Board. A full member in good standing, annual contribution remitted, has the right to hold office on the Board of Directors. Each owner has the right to full membership, but only one vote per lot is allowed. If a member owns more than one lot a vote may be cast for each lot on which dues are current. If there is more than one owner of a lot the owners will designate in whose name the vote will be cast. Failure to do so will result in the Board designating the name of the voter. Thursday, October 1st, at Cooper Center. A COVID-19 testing will be held in the Cooper Center parking lot. Like the food distribution, it will be a drive by test site. It will start at 9am and run till 1pm.
The testing is free, but if you have insurance, please bring your insurance card. At this point in time we do not know how they will be handling walk up’s, but we will share any additional information as it becomes available. Background. The County considers the roads in our subdivision as ‘private’, primarily so they are not responsible for road maintenance. However, that does not legally restrict anyone (HOIE resident or not) from using these roads for travel in whatever way they want (walk, jog, bike, car, etc).
Situation. A couple living on Puolani between Hoolehu and Nalehua interpret ‘private roads’ as meaning they can control the section of road in front of their property, and they sometimes attempt to restrict passage on foot. For years, people who have been on foot or bikes on Puolani street have had run-ins with these residents. Most of these incidents were verbal, but some were physical. Over the last couple of years, these residents have been told by police and by a Hilo judge that their actions are not appropriate, and that anyone can use these roads. Nevertheless, over the last year, this couple's aggressive actions have escalated. In the most recent case, a pedestrian was followed by the Puolani resident in a truck, he then jumped out and seriously assaulted the pedestrian – a police inquiry is ongoing. Recommendation. Please be safe but do not let the behavior of this couple curtail your enjoyment of our neighborhood. If you happen to have an altercation with this Puolani couple, please report the details to the Pahoa police, either in writing or by calling their non-emergency telephone number (961‑2219, 935-3311). Reporting all incidents establishes a record of hostile activities that may serve to be beneficial in the future. We are following up with authorities to see what can be done to protect the community from these out of control individuals. Our Neighborhood Watch coordinator, Linda Fuller, would also appreciate a heads-up (895-5773). If you have any questions or suggestions please contact the HOIECA Board members via this email address: [email protected] Tonight, Tuesday 1/21/2020. 6pm. Kamakahala Street last driveway on LEFT (red gate)
NW meeting today 1/7/2020 6pm Olapa street, first driveway on the left.
Aloha HOIE Community Association members join us at the
Annual HOIE CA Membership Meeting & Potluck Date: Saturday, 16 November 2019 Time: 4 pm meeting start, 5 pm Potluck start Location: 11-2871 Olapa Road., Volcano, HI 96785 (David and Linda’s place) Directions: From Alii Kane Street, turn uphill on Lehuapele (8th street on right from HWY 11), make a left on Olapa (2nd street on left), driveway is toward the end of the road, on the right. Meeting Agenda 1. President’s report for 2019 (administrative stuff, road work, neighborhood watch) 2. Treasurer report for 2019 3. Road work report from our volunteer coordinator Linda Brooks 4. Voting-in of new board members Hi all,
a message from Linda our volunteer roadwork coordinator: Next Saturday September 28th we will be working on HOIE roads again. Meet at 10 am at the corner of Alii Kane and Lehuapele. Hope to see you there! Thanks, Linda 985-8563 |
AuthorThe HOIE board is using this space to announce upcoming meetings, road work updates, and other items of interest to HOIE residents. Archives
January 2024
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