(BIVN) – A non-resident parking fee will begin to be collected at Kahaluʻu Beach Park starting December 1, 2022.

The one-year pilot project was announced by the Hawaiʻi County Department of Parks and Recreation on Monday.

Once the program goes into effect, all out-of-state visitors will pay a parking fee in 4-hour intervals from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, the County says. “Hawai’i residents and disabled individuals will register with the attendant on duty for a free parking pass,” a news release explained. “All net income from the project will be used solely for the benefit of the public to support ongoing protection, stewardship, and restoration of the natural and cultural resources held at Kahalu’u Beach Park.”

From the County news release:

This pilot project, managed in conjunction with the non-profit The Kohala Center (TKC), will seek to address several of the top priorities as articulated in the HTA Hawaiʻi Island Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP) and Hawaiʻi Island’s 2020-2025 Tourism Strategic Plan (TSP) by supporting the maintenance, enhancement, and protection of Kahaluʻu Bay’s natural resources, ‘āina-based education, and community-driven stewardship. Through an agreement with the County, TKC and a team of dedicated community volunteers and employees have been working to preserve and protect the resources at Kahalu’u Beach Park since 2006.

Kahaluʻu Beach Park was recently featured in the Aloha ‘Āina Kahalu‘u video series released by The Kohala Center, educating residents and visitors how to respectfully engage with coral reef ecosystems at the popular Kona location.