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Aaron S.Y. Chung, Council Chair and Members of the County Council Page 2 currently being used for cattle grazing. According to the Zoning Code, the purpose of the Agricultural district is to provide for agricultural and very low density agriculturally-based residential use, encompassing rural areas of good to marginal agricultural and grazing land, forest land, game habitats, and areas where urbanization is not found to be appropriate. 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 be also considered as they may have an impact on similar areas in the County. The proposed Change of Zone from an Agricultural 20-acres (A-20a) to an Agricultural 5-acres (A-5a) zoned district will conform to the goals, policies and standards of the General Plan. The General Plan is intended to be used as a policy guide for the coordinated growth and development of all sectors of the County. It sets forth goals,policies, standards and 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 County's service and circulation systems. The overall goals, policies and standards are set forth to physically plan the lands in the County in the best interest of the island's residents. Land use is one of the principal focal points of public concern and policy. The Land Use Element provides the primary basis for direct control and guidance of publicly and privately owned resources. 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 identifies the property as Important Agricultural Lands. These are lands with better potential for sustained high agricultural yields because of soil type, climate, topography, or other factors. The property also has deep soil and is classified as Prime Agricultural Land on the Agricultural Lands of Importance to the State of Hawai`i (ALISH) map. The property is also classified as "C" or"Fair" for agricultural soil