On an island as small as O'ahu, land naturally becomes a prized asset. The goal of maintaining open space must not be tossed aside thoughtlessly, especially in a community as beset by urban sprawl as Hawai'i Kai.

City leaders have a rare opportunity to show commitment to that goal in Kamilonui Valley.

Seventeen farmers in the valley are considering whether to get out of their farm leases from Kamehameha Schools. Regardless of whether they can agree, the landlord says other farmers aren't interested in taking over once the leases lapse in 17 years.

Kamehameha may have found a buyer in Stanford Carr Development, which wants to convert the 87 acres into house lots. Even if the few holdout farmers decide to sell, building homes requires the city to change the allowed land use from agricultural to urban.

That means city planners and council members will ultimately decide how it will be used. Certainly allowing every available piece of land to be used for housing makes no sense. A healthy community requires the right balance.

This parcel was set aside for farming in the East Honolulu Sustainable Communities Plan. It seems pointless to devise a blueprint for livable neighborhoods if it can be abandoned without careful thought.

The city must make it clear to the developer at meetings planned for coming weeks that this project would reverse the community's stated vision for the area. There's considerable concern among residents about how the additional homes would affect them, including worries about traffic on the crowded Kalaniana'ole Highway. And rightly so.

Surely these issues will be raised at scheduled public hearings. And politicians should listen intently.

Strong leadership at the grassroots level and from elected officials, is needed. Finding the best use of the land must remain the focus, precisely because it's so precious.