Big Island to sell former Hamakua sugar land
By Christie Wilson
Advertiser Neighbor Island Editor
Hawai'i County is selling $3.2 million in commercial and agricultural property, including a portion of the 4,400 acres acquired from bankrupt Hamakua Sugar Co., in a settlement of delinquent property taxes.
For more information, see the Web site co.hawaii.hi.us/info/noticeprpsn.pdf.
The former sugar land between Pa'auilo and Waipi'o Valley has been in county hands since 1995, but the previous administration did not find a use for the property, which remains fallow. Mayor Harry Kim decided it was time to sell the land and put the badly needed cash into the county's general fund, Deputy Finance Director Nancy Crawford said.
More information available on sale
"The county isn't in the land business. Basically, we decided it was time to liquidate the property," she said.
The value of the county's Hamakua holdings has been assessed at almost $11 million. Crawford said it has taken about a year to get the first parcels ready for sale, and other pieces are being readied for market. The county eventually will sell all but about 1,000 acres, she said.
The asking price for a 661-acre parcel in a portion of the Hamakua Forest Reserve is $2.16 million. It includes a partly forested area the county was considering leasing out for tree farming. The particular agricultural zoning for the land allows for a minimum subdivision of 40 acres.
The county is selling a 51-acre parcel for $400,000 and a separate 77.4-acre parcel for $650,000. The ag zoning on the two Pa'auilo properties allows for a minimum subdivision of five acres.
Three condominium properties at the Hilo Lagoon Center on Aupuni Street also are for sale. A 310-square-foot office space is being sold for $45,000, and a 2,450-square-foot space for $265,000. The offices were previously used by the Hawai'i County Civil Defense Agency, which will be moving next week into the new county building down the street.
The county is required to sell the properties for no less than their appraised value, Crawford said. The deadline for offers is Dec. 27.
