The state Land Use Commission has scheduled a hearing March 3-4 on a request by a developer to reclassify 181 acres in Kona from conservation to urban as part of a plan to build 1,000 homes on the parcel.

The development, called 'O'oma Beachside Village, would be south of the state's Natural Energy Laboratory and include homes ranging from affordable to luxury.

Dennis Moresco, a partner of North Kona Village LLC, purchased the land in 2005 and has said he plans to donate to the public a more than 1,500-foot-wide swath of shoreline along the length of the project.

The property is formally known as 'O'oma II and was once controlled by Cliff Morris, who had planned to build a hotel and a 400,000-square-foot shopping center in 2003-04 before the proposal was rejected by the Hawai'i County Council.

APPLY FOR AG LAND LEASE NEGOTIATIONS

The Hawai'i Department of Agriculture is accepting lease negotiation applications for five parcels of state agricultural land on O'ahu and Kaua'i.

The O'ahu lots are in Waimänalo and are 5.1 acres, 3.7 acres and 1.4 acres in size. The Kaua'i lots are in Hanapepe and are 6.7 acres and 4.2 acres in size.

The 35-year leases are for diversified agriculture only. The application deadline is Jan. 14.

Each parcel has an upset minimum annual rental and the lease will be issued by a negotiation process. In addition to the annual rental, each parcel has an additional rent of 1.5 percent of gross proceeds from the agricultural operation.

For more information, go to http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/info/application-open-for-ag-parcels-on-kauai-and-oahu, or call 973-9476 on O'ahu, 274-3141 on Kaua'i, 984-2400 on Maui, 974-4140 on the Big Island, and 800-468-4644 on Moloka'i & Läna'i.

HFIA GETS $5,000 FOR KOA AWARENESS

Hawai'i County's Department of Research and Development has awarded a $5,000 grant to the Hawai'i Forest Industry Association to boost public awareness about efforts to ensure the sustainability of the state's koa forests.

Koa is a native hardwood used in a broad range of products from outrigger canoes to fine furniture.

Efforts to ensure koa's survival and its availability to woodcrafters include the planting of more than 20,000 acres of koa, according to a news release from the HFIA. The hardwood will remain in restricted supply for at least another 15 to 20 years as these new growths mature.