COM 0859.000 2008-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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The Honorable J Yoshimoto, Chairman and Members of the County Council Page 2 In order to consider an area for any type of zoning designation, the applicable goals, policies and standards of the General Plan must be adequately addressed. It is only through such a comprehensive policy analysis approach that evaluations and decisions 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 also be considered as they may have an impact on similar areas in the County, and ultimately, on the future development of the entire island. The proposed change of zone request would conform to the goals, policies and standards of the General Plan. The General Plan was developed as a policy guide for the coordinated growth and development of all sectors of the County. It sets forth courses of action to accommodate growth without congestion, to designate and preserve the lands needed for residential use, commercial and visitor services, industry, agriculture and open space, and to coordinate these uses with the availability of public infrastructure and services. The Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) Map, which establishes the basic urban and non -urban form for areas within the County, designates the subject property as Urban Expansion which allows for a mix of high density, medium density, low density, industrial, industrial - commercial and /or open designations in areas where new settlements may be desirable, but where the specific settlement pattern and mix of uses have not yet been determined. The purpose of the Family Agricultural district, according to the Zoning Code, is to provide for a blend of small -scale agricultural operations associated with residential activities which may be characterized by farm estates, small acreage farms, or subsistence lots in areas where public services and infrastructure are appropriate to support the very low density residential needs of the community and where a substantial number of surrounding parcels are less than five acres in size, and where a mix of uses will not conflict with or be detrimental to existing agricultural uses in the surrounding area. In addition, this district is intended to be primarily comprised of agricultural lands less than five acres in area, which are not classified as A or B lands under the Land Study Bureau's master productivity rating, or classified as prime, unique, or other important agricultural lands by the State Department of Agriculture's ALISH (Agricultural Lands of Importance to the State of Hawaii) classification system, provided that this district may include lands so classified if the lands are situated within an Urban Expansion or other urban designation under the general plan LUPAG map. The subject property has soils classified by the Land Study Bureau as "C' or "Fair" and is classified as "other important agricultural lands" by the ALISH; however, the property's Urban Expansion LUPAG designation indicates that this general area is appropriate for urban land uses.