COM 0670.000 2010-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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of the island of Hawai`i. The LUPAG Map is a component of the General Plan land use element. The land use element seeks 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 coordinate these uses with the County's service and circulation systems. The land use pattern is a broad, flexible design intended to guide the direction and quality of future developments in a coordinated and rational manner. The LUPAG Map is a broad-brush graphic depiction of the general location of land uses in relation to each other and is not parcel specific. The methodology used to develop the land use pattern reflects estimates of future population based on economic and employment evaluations, existing land uses and zoned areas, determination of community facility needs, and transportation demands for the entire island. Topography and other physical features and economic and social characteristics of an area are also considered. The General Plan may be amended by changing its goals,policies, standards, zoning acreage allocations, LUPAG map, and other applicable sections thereof, when the conditions or premises upon which the General Plan is based have changed and when such an amendment would assure the coordinated development of the County of Hawaii and the general welfare and prosperity of its people. The LUPAG map for Pahoa has not been updated since the Puna Community Development Plan(CDP)was adopted in 2008 and amended in 2010. This LUPAG Map amendment would support the Puna CDP concept of developing Pahoa as a regional town center by providing land area for higher-density urban uses in the town center and directing commercial and industrial uses away from the Pahoa Bypass. According to the U.S. Census,the population of the Puna District has grown by 44.6%to 45,326 between 2000 and 2010. Amending the LUPAG Map designations will facilitate rezoning of appropriate properties in Pahoa town so that businesses can be established that provide additional goods and services to the surrounding population. To achieve this goal, this amendment reduces the area of land designated Urban Expansion and Low Density Urban and expands the area of land designated Medium Density Urban. Specifically,the Medium Density Urban designation will be expanded north along Pahoa -2-