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COUNTY OF HAWAII <br />ORDINANCE NO. <br />STATE OF HAWAII <br />BILL NO. 308 <br />ORDINANCE TO INITIATE A CHARTER AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VI, CHAPTER 4, <br />SECTION 6-4.3, HAWAII COUNTY CHARTER (2000), RELATING TO BIFURCATING <br />THE PLANNING COMMISSION INTO AN EAST HAWAII PLANNING COMMISSION <br />AND A WEST HAWAII PLANNING COMMISSION. <br />BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII: <br />SECTION 1. Purpose. Article VI, Chapter 4, Hawaii County Charter (2000) outlines <br />the organizational component of the Planning Department that consists of a planning director, a <br />planning commission and necessary staff. Section 6-4.3 provides that the Planning Commission <br />shall consist of nine members, one from each council district, who shall be appointed by the <br />Mayor and confirmed by the Council. <br />The Planning Commission is the decision-making body that advises the mayor, the <br />council and the planning director on all planning and land use matters. It also reviews the <br />general plan and amendments thereto, proposed subdivision and zoning ordinances and <br />amendments, and transmits recommendations thereon through the mayor to the council for <br />consideration and action. It is at this initial level of the planning process that citizens are allowed <br />a first opportunity to participate in the process and express concerns, request standing and, if <br />granted, participate in contested case hearings. <br />During the past several years there has been an unprecedented rise of development <br />occurring in council districts 6, 7, 8 and 9. This unprecedented rise in development has also <br />resulted in increased land use applications being considered by the planning commission. For <br />the year 2005, a total of twelve (12) Planning Commission meetings were held in West Hawaii, <br />in which approximately seventy-seven (77) applications specifically involved council districts 6, <br />7, 8 and 9 (Ka`u, South Kona, North Kona, South Kohala, North Kohala and Kamuela.) Also in <br />the year 2005, a total of eight (8) Planning Commission meetings were held in East Hawaii, at <br />which approximately forty-four (44) applications involving East Hawaii council districts 1, 2, 3, <br />4 and 5 were considered. <br />Citizens of council districts 6, 7, 8 and 9'believe that due to the alarming rate of growth <br />and development occurring in West Hawaii, these communities would be better served if <br />commission members representing council districts of West Hawaii were based in West <br />Hawaii. A West Hawaii Planning Commission would create an efficient, cost-effective <br />community service for these districts most at risk and impacted by unprecedented growth. A <br />West Hawaii Planning Commission would enable commission members to focus entirely on <br />West Hawaii land use issues and, as members of these districts themselves, are better able to <br />