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Heather Kimball, Council Chair and Members of the County Council County of Hawai`i May 04, 2024 Page 2 and eventually reside within the proposed 4-lot subdivision. The last remaining lot will be purchased by a mutual friend and local doctor as a retirement property. These collective friends and partners wish to make this property their personal residence. In order to consider an area for any type of zoning designation, the applicable goals, policies, and standards of the General Plan must be adequately addressed. It is only through such a comprehensive policy analysis approach that evaluations and decisions can be made to better time and stage developments to achieve growth consistent with the General Plan and related planning documents. The implications of these evaluations and decisions must also be considered as they may have an impact on similar areas in the County. The Change of Zone request from Agricultural (A-20a) to the Agricultural (FA-5a) zoned district will conform to the goals, policies, and standards of the General Plan Economic and Land Use elements. The Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) Map component of the General Plan is a representation of the document's goals and policies to guide the coordinated growth and development of the County. It reflects a graphic depiction of the physical relationship among the various land uses. The LUPAG Map establishes the basic urban and non-urban form for areas within the County. The property is designated Important Agricultural Land, which are lands with better potential for sustained high agricultural yields because of soil type, climate, topography, or other factors. However, the subject property is primarily native forest and therefore it is preferable to maintain the forest than to convert the property to agricultural uses. The proposed Change of Zone will conform to, among others, the following goals, and policies of the Natural Resources Element of the General Plan: • Protect rare or endangered species and habitats native to Hawai`i. ■ Within the Kona high rainfall/fog-drip belt, ground disturbing activities such as excessive soil compaction and excessive removal of vegetative cover should be minimized and mitigated consistent with management strategies that encourage the retention of existing forested and pasture areas, reforestation, minimal coverage by impervious surfaces and other strategies that encourage effective infiltration to groundwater.