HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of State Parks will hold a public information meeting to discuss the draft master plan for Sacred Falls (Kaluanui) State Park from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday July 29, at the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center, Windward Unit, 53-516 Kamehameha Highway, Punalu'u O'ahu, according to a DLNR press release.

The plan is based on input from the Kaluanui Advisory Group and the public. The advisory group is composed of representatives from the Punalu'u, Ka'a'awa, Hau'ula, La'ie, Kahuku and Kahana communities, the Ko'olauloa Neighborhood Board, and the Hawai'i Trail and Mountain Club. Input was also received from the O'ahu Pighunters' Association, according to the release.

The group met monthly for a year and a half, then periodically after that. Division of State Parks has held two public meetings on the draft master plan. At the second meeting, parks staff received public feedback on the three alternatives presented. A preferred alternative was selected and is refined in the latest draft, the release said.

This alternative represents new recreational and educational options to reasonably justify charging a user and/or parking fee to help defray operational costs. The upper area of the park is recommended for designation as a natural area reserve as a means to control access to the falls. The construction of a loop trail connecting most of the proposed park features will allow the focus of the park to be the historic, educational and cultural resources.

The state park was closed to visitors following a rockfall in on Mother's Day in 1999 that killed several people.

"Although the park has remained closed since May 1999, and any decision on its future will need to be made at the highest policy level, there is a still a need to have a plan that addresses any future public use which may be made of the area," said State Parks administrator Dan Quinn.

"Such a plan needs to both assess the risks associated with rockfalls and flash floods and evaluate the existing natural, cultural, and recreational resources and any actions needed to protect and enhance them," he said.

The draft plan, meeting notice and comments form are available on the State Parks website at http://hawaiistateparks.org/plans/index.cfm <http://hawaiistateparks.org/plans/index.cfm>

Section 11 of the draft Master Plan discusses the preferred alternative and will be provided as a handout at the meeting.

Comments on the draft Master Plan will be accepted up to August 15, 2008 and can be made verbally and/or in writing at the meeting; or by email to: Lauren.A.Tanaka@hawaii.gov and Travis Hylton at thylton@oceanit.com; and by regular mail to: Division of State Parks, P.O. Box 621, Honolulu, HI 96809.