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~(Y^OI ,. <br />•L~ <br />Jyy <br />COUNTY OF HAWAII <br />~;.. ,•, <br />R of w~ <br />STATE OF HAWAII <br />BILL NO. ia8 <br />(DRAFP 3) <br />ORDINANCE NO. <br />AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 25 (ZONING CODE) OF THE HAWAII <br />COUNTY CODE, RELATED TO AGRICULTURAL TOURISM. <br />BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII: <br />SECTION 1. Purpose and Findings. The Council finds that the zoning code does not <br />specifically address the permissibility of agricultural tourism or its impacts in the vazious zoning <br />districts. Following the demise of the sugar plantations and mills, a more diversified agricultural <br />base, consisting of smaller agribusiness and family operated farms, ranches, and agricultural <br />products processing facilities, is evolving in the County of Hawaii. These operations aze <br />offering a wide variety of specialized products, produce and exotic flowers via local vending <br />opportunities as well as through regional, national, and international wholesale distributors and <br />the Internet. <br />The visitor industry, or tourism, continues to grow as a major element in the economy of <br />Hawaii County. With this growth in the visitor industry comes an increased market for tours <br />showcasing the uniqueness of farming, ranching and agricultural products processing in Hawaii. <br />A viable inventory of agricultural tourism operations in the County of Hawaii broadens the <br />range of interests within the County attracting additional and returning visitors. <br />A wide scale of agricultural tourism activities already exists on the island of Hawaii, <br />sometimes resulting in an adverse impact on sunounding properties and resources. The failure <br />to define and regulate agricultural tourism in Hawaii County has already resulted in complaints <br />