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<br />/) <br /> <br />COUNTY' OF HAWAI'I <br /> <br /> <br />,') <br />(. ' <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br />I <br />STATE OF HAWAI~I <br /> <br />BILL NO. 148 <br />(DRAFT 3) <br /> <br />ORDINANCE NO. 08 :tS5 <br /> <br />AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 25 (ZONING CODE) OF THE HAW AI'I <br />COUNTY CODE, RELATED TO AGRICULTURAL TOURISM. <br /> <br />BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAW AI'I: <br /> <br />SECTION l. Purpose and Findings. The Council finds that the zoning code does not <br /> <br />specifically address the permissibility of agricultural tourism or its impacts in the various zoning <br /> <br />districts. Following the demise of the sugar plantations and mills, a more diversified agricultur~1 <br /> <br />base, consisting of smaller agribusiness and family operated farms, ranches, and agricultural <br /> <br />products processing facilities, is evolving in the County ofHawai'i. These operations are <br /> <br />offering a wide variety of specialized products, produce and exotic flowers via local vending <br /> <br />opportunities as well as through regional, national, and international wholesale distributors and ! <br /> <br />the Internet. <br /> <br />The visitor industry, or tourism, continues to grow as a major element in the economy of : <br /> <br />Hawai'i County. With this growth in the visitor industry comes an increased market for tours : <br /> <br />showcasing the liniqueness of fanning, ranching and agricultural products processing in Hawai'J. <br /> <br />A viable inventory of agricultural tourism operations in the County of Hawai'i broadens ~he <br /> <br />range of interests within the County attracting additional and returning visitors. <br /> <br />A wide scale of agricultural tourism activities already exists on the island of Hawai'i, <br /> <br />sometimes resulting in an adverse impact on surrounding properties and resources. The failure r <br /> <br />to define and regulate agricultural tourism in l-Iawai'i County has already resulted in complaint~ <br />I <br /> <br />Plann;ngDept. <br />Exhibit I <br />