ORD 2005-025 2004-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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INTRODUCTION PURPOSE OF THE GENERAL PLAN The County of Hawaii's General Plan is the policy document for the long range comprehensive development of the island of Hawaii. The purposes of the General Plan are to: • Guide the pattern of future development in this County based on long-term goals; • Identify the visions, values, and priorities important to the people of this County; • Provide the framework for regulatory decisions, capital improvement priorities, acquisition strategies, and other pertinent government programs within the County organization and coordinated with State and Federal programs. • Improve the physical environment of the County as a setting for human activities; to make it more functional, beautiful, healthful, interesting, and efficient. • Promote and safeguard the public interest and the interest of the County as a whole. • Facilitate the democratic determination of community policies concerning the utilization of its natural, man-made, and human resources. • Effect political and technical coordination in community improvement and development. • Inject long-range considerations into the determination of short-range actions and implementation. History of the Plan General Plan studies in the County of Hawaii were initiated in the late 1950's and were limited to particular regions of the island such as the Hilo, Kona, Kohala, Hamakua, and Puna Districts. As such, these initial general plans lacked a comprehensive, coordinated, and integrated overview of the entire County. The first of these studies, "A Plan for Kona", was completed in 1960 and encompassed the districts of North and South Kona. "A Plan for the Metropolitan Area of Hilo" was completed in 1961 for the districts of South Hilo and Puna. "The Kohala-Hamakua Region General Plan" was completed in 1963 and covered part of the district of North Kona and the districts of North and South Kohala, Hamakua and North Hilo. These regional plans were adopted by Ordinance No. 317 in July 1965, as the General Plan for the County. The district of Ka'u was the only area in the County not covered by this plan. With the adoption and ratification of the County Charter in 1968, the General Plan emerged as a major policy document. Section 3-15 of the County Charter states: Introduction