COM 0042.061 2004-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• In order to minimize the potential conflicts between agricultural and non- agricultural uses, standards and guidelines for the establishment of well defined buffer areas as part of new, non-agricultural developments that are located adjacent to important agricultural lands shall be developed. • Land zoned for use in the Rural District shall be expanded, where appropriate. • Develop subdivision standards that make a distinction between agricultural and urban land uses. • Designate, protect and maintain important agricultural lands fiom urban encroachment. • Ensure that development of important agricultural land be primarily for agricultural use. • Support the development of private and State agricultural parks to make agricultural land available for agricultural activities. • Assist in the development of agriculture. • Assist in the development of water for agricultural purposes. • Investigate possibilities to prevent non-agricultural uses that could interfere with potential or existing agricultural activities on important agricultural lands. • Support efforts to provide tax relief and other incentives to enhance competitive capabilities of commercial fauns and ranches, thereby insuring long-term preservation, enhancement, and expansion of viable agricultural lands. • Ensure that condominium property regimes (CPR) on agricultural-designated lands comply with the requirements ofthe Zoning Code and other applicable laws, rules and regulations. • Farrrt labor housing projects shall be developed in a manner that minimizes the use of important agricultural lands and is consistent with the character of sureounding land uses. • Encourage, where appropriate, the establishment ofvisitor-related uses and facilities that directly promote the agriculture industry. • Important agricultural lands shall not be rezoned to parcels too small to support economically viable fanning units. • Discourage speculative residential development on agricultural lands. • Encourage other compatible economic uses that complement existing agricultural and pastoral activities. Agriculture - North Hilo/Hamakua -Profile Profile Sugar cultivation once dominated the agricultural scene in both districts until the closing of the Hamakua Sugar Company in 1994. The Hamakua Sugar Company once cultivated approximately 35,000 acres in sugar in the North Hilo and Hamakua districts. These vacant sugar lands are slowly being cultivated in various crops. A mainland company has recently initiated plantings of eucalyptus on Kamehameha Schools land along the Hamakua coast in its effort to establish a 15,000-acre eucalyptus plantation. A 1981 study to identify the best