(BIVN) – A tentative agreement has been reached between the County of Hawaiʻi and Black Sand Beach LLC for the preservation of Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park.
After holding direct talks with the company, Mayor Kimo Alameda says the parties agreed to terms for the sale of the 6.8-acre site, owned by Black Sand Beach LLC, to the County for the assessed value of $1.46 million. The purchase would be funded by the County’s Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission (PONC) program.
The popular Kaʻū beach park was previously maintained and operated by the County of Hawaiʻi through a lease with the company, but the park closed to the public after the lease ended on August 29, 2026. The park was leased by the County since at least 1954.
The County says Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park will remain closed until the purchase of the property is completed, or until a temporary lease agreement is reached in the meantime. Finalization of the purchase is anticipated to take several months.
As a part of the deal, the County has agreed “to take steps to reduce impacts of park and beach traffic on portions of Ninole Loop Road that is owned by Black Sand Beach LLC.” The County says it will maintain an approximately quarter-mile section of private roadway connecting the park to the County-owned part of the road, and the landowner would guarantee the public with access over that segment.
“After a couple years of mostly working through attorneys, the landowner and I met in person at Punaluʻu so that we could find a resolution that works for everyone,” said Mayor Alameda in a news release. “As a result of these direct conversations, we reached a compromise that preserves Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park for future generations while honoring the landowner’s own interests and concerns. Protecting Punaluʻu requires both parties – the County and landowner – to work together, and I look forward to continuing to build this partnership for the benefit of our community.”
