COM 0509.000 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Pete Hoffmann, Chairman and Members of the County Council Page 2 can be made to better time and stage developments to achieve growth determined by the General Plan and related planning documents. The implications of these evaluations and decisions must be also considered as they may have an impact on similar areas in the County. The proposed Change of Zone from an Agricultural (A-3a) to a Family Agricultural (FA-2a) zoned district will conform to, among others, the following goals, policies and standards of the Land Use and Economic General Plan Elements and the General Plan LUPAG Map: The Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) Map component of the General Plan is a representation of the document's goals and policies to guide the coordinated growth and development of the County. It reflects a graphic depiction of the physical relationship among the various land uses. The LUPAG Map establishes the basic urban and non-urban form for areas within the County. The proposed request conforms to the LUPAG Map, which designates the property as Important Agricultural Land and a small portion in Low Density Urban. Important agricultural lands are those lands with better potential for sustained high agricultural yields because of soil type, climate, topography, or other factors. Soils within the property are identified as Kaiwiki silty clay loam, 10 to 20 percent slopes (KaD). The Land Study Bureau's Detailed Land Classification System identifies soils on the property as "C" or "Fair" for agricultural productivity, as well as Existing Urban Development. The ALISH System classifies soils within the subject property as Prime Agricultural Lands. A major concern in allowing a rezoning of agricultural land that creates smaller lot sizes is that this will reduce the potential use of the land for commercial agriculture by fragmenting the land into azeas too small to be farmed on a commercial scale. While a few crops can be intensively cultivated on very small acreage, usually these crops have a very limited market. Reducing the size of the lots can reduce the range of potential agricultural uses and the range of market opportunities for those crops. In this particulaz situation, the applicants intend to construct a dwelling for themselves on one lot and reserve the other lot for their family. The newly created lots will still have the potential to be used for farming or agricultural purposes. The proposed Change of Zone will conform to, among others, the goals, policies and standards of the Land Use and Economic General Plan Elements: Land Use • Designate and allocate land uses in appropriate proportions and mix and in keeping with the social, cultural and physical environments of the County.