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2.1 INTRODUCTION <br />The County of HawaiTs General Plan is the policy document for the long-range comprehensive <br />development of the island of Hawai°i. The General Plan states the County's island -wide and <br />district visions for development over a period of at least 20 years and lays out the direction for <br />achieving those visions through stated objectives, policies, standards, and district courses of <br />action. The General Plan guides the form of future development, provides general direction and <br />location of public facilities and services, provides the legal framework for all other components <br />of the planning structure, and establishes the foundation for future community planning. The <br />General Plan is implemented through the promulgation and application of other regulations that <br />mandate its consideration in the decision-making process. Therefore, the planning process <br />must be viewed as a continuous, non-linear and dynamic process instead of a static and linear <br />one. <br />The essence of the General Plan is articulated in an island -wide vision statement and district <br />vision statements. The island -wide vision statement expresses fundamentals that are important <br />to our citizens and applied to the entire island. District vision statements provide a view of <br />those aspects citizens have identified as important to preserve, enhance, support, and <br />encourage within each geographical district. Vision statements are vital to understanding district <br />community goals, the district's interrelationship with other districts and the desirable direction <br />for land use. <br />Preparation of the General Plan and its revisions shall provide the opportunity for citizen <br />participation, review, and understanding. <br />The General Plan contains the following elements around which the planning process is <br />formulated: Economic; Historic Sites; Housing; Infrastructure; Land Use; Natural Beauty, <br />Resources and Environmental Quality; and Natural Hazards. Taken together with the island - <br />wide and district vision statements, each elements objectives, policies, standards and district <br />courses of action are intended to guide future actions of the County and its programs, to focus <br />the substance of development plans, functional and facility plans, and to direct funding towards <br />priority public projects. <br />Each element contains objectives, policies, and, if appropriate, standards and district courses of <br />action described below: <br />Objective: Indicates a desired long-range goal or direction. <br />Policy: States the method or strategy that should be undertaken to attain the <br />stated objectives. <br />Standard: Means a degree or level of requirement; a criterion. As used in this <br />document, a standard is to be applied as a guide. <br />Courses of Action: Establishes the more precise and definitive discussion of community <br />concerns and problems. A course of action attempts to identify specific <br />alternatives on a community, district or regional basis. <br />GENERAL PLAN PROGRAM * 2-1 <br />