COM 0045.033 2002-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Honorable Leningrad Elarionoff, Chair and Members of the Committee on Planning HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL Page 3 June 14, 2004 Draft 2 also reorganizes some of the elements into an "Infrastructure" element, and combines the Natural Beauty, Environmental Quality, and Natural Resources elements into one. These are useful and sensible reorganizations. Vision Statements The inclusion of an overall "Vision Statement" and individual district "Vision Statements" is a significant positive innovation in Draft 2. The various Vision Statements that have been drafted have many features that would probably enjoy a broad base of support. Specific LUPAG Map Changes Draft 2 retains most of the important Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) map changes proposed in Draft 1. These include the elimination of resort areas next to Spencer Park and the Pu'ukohola Heiau in Kawaihae (F-8), and at O'oma (G-7). Draft 2 also properly incorporates the compromises at Kohanaiki (G-9, G-10a, and G-1 Ob), and at Keopuka (H-1), that were negotiated after the Draft 1 draft. Draft 2 does reject some of the proposed map changes in Draft 1. While I would like to comment on some of these later, I would like to mention a few now. Draft 2 retains the "Hawaiian Riviera" major resort project at Pohue Bay in Ka'u, and associated urban and industrial areas. Draft 1 had deleted these (I-3, I-4, and I-5). This proposed resort was originally added to the General Plan in 1988. There has been no discernable action on this project since a court action invalidated its LUC reclassification about ten years ago. The coastal property is currently in the State Land Use Conservation District. I continue to recommend that it be deleted because the project is not viable, it diminishes the credibility of the General Plan to show a major resort in this location, and even if it were viable, we should not continue promoting new coastal mega-resorts. Draft 2 also takes out amendment A-4, which would shrink the "alternate urban expansion" area around Kea'au. The current General Plan has an urban expansion area of about 3000 acres on the west (mauka) side of the Volcano Highway. This is far larger than needed for the expansion of Kea'au town. Even including the undeveloped Gateway project (32 acres), the present town of Kea'au is not a tenth the size of the urban expansion area. Most of the 3000 acres is prime agricultural land. The purpose of A-4 was to focus future urban development closer to the existing town.