By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Columnist

What's the value of undeveloped open space?

It's a question that is difficult to answer, and as a result, one that frequently is not answered.

Planners can often place a value on the rezoning of land for development. And developers can place a value lost on land threatened with downzoning. But in both cases, the number represents the sales price or development costs of what could be built.

A growing issue across the country is the other side of the equation. Does land that remains undeveloped have value just because it doesn't have buildings or asphalt on it? Hawai'i residents seem to think so.

"Only 6 percent of the O'ahu residents surveyed preferred a development use over an open-space use," said a January 1997 report, "The Importance of Open-Space Value for Land Use Policy in Hawai'i," done for the University of Hawai'i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

Not only in Hawai'i.

Earlier this year, residents of Duluth, Minn., were polled on their thoughts on open space versus development. A quarter of Duluth's 40,000 acres is undeveloped open space.

"We found very few responses supporting building," said Glenn Kreag, Minnesota Sea Grant tourism and recreation extension educator. "In fact, residents thought recreational areas and the preservation of natural open spaces were more important government functions than economic development. A majority were even willing to consider financing the protection of open space through bonding."

This has recently become an issue in the Islands because of a series of economic impact studies done on proposals by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish critical habitat for endangered species.

The biggest numbers thus far come from the nearly 4,000 acres proposed to be designated as critical habitat for two underground creatures of the lava tubes, cracks and caves of the Koloa-Po'ipu area of Kaua'i. The costs in terms of lost development potentional, lost property value, lost business potential and so on is estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars over the next 17 years.

But no dollar amount was attached to the potential benefits, although the report cited the value of open space, preservation of the nearby Maha'ulepu coastline, reduced traffic, ecotourism opportunities and money that might come in for managing conservation areas, not to speak of the value of not losing the species themselves.

"It never gives a value to the people of Kaua'i who have been fighting to save open space, their fishing areas. ... I would say those are priceless," said David Henkin, an attorney with the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund.

Jan TenBruggencate is The Advertiser's Kaua'i bureau chief and its science and environment writer. You can call him at (808) 245-3074 or e-mail jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.