KCDP Final - 2008 (As amended 2019)

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CHAPTER 3 VISUALIZING KONA TomoRRo w 5. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place; 6. Mix land uses; 7. Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities; 8. Provide a variety of transportation choices; 9. Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost effective; and 10. Foster community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions. 3.3.2 Sustainability The term "sustainability" has special meaning in an island context, where our resources are limited and the consequences of our actions have a more immediate impact. Sustainability in Hawaii means achieving a quality of life that achieves the following goals: It emphasizes respect for the culture, character, communities. It strikes a balance between economic prosperity beauty and history of our state's island social and community well-being, and environmental stewardship. It meets the needs of the present community without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. I The eight Guiding Principles are consistent with this definition and provide the basis for Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Actions that set forth a sustainable path for Kona. To become a sustainable community requires commitment on all levels—as individuals, households, businesses, communities, and government. We need to do our part in as many ways as we can. The following elaborates the eight Guiding Principles specifically in terms of sustainability principles: Sense of Community. The manner in which we meet our human needs determines the quality of our existence and ability to adapt. Pertinent initiatives include the following: Cultural emphasis. The vision emphasizes the importance of mutually appreciating our respective cultural traditions. b. Affordable housing. The vision affirms that decent affordable housing is needed in Kona. c. Participatory governance. The vision is to create a structure through which Kona residents may meaningfully engage in decision making. Engagement breeds caring and learning, which, in turn, creates the energy and expertise needed to better the community. d. Innovation. The Design Center proposed in Section 4.2 Land Use will hopefully stimulate the exposure of and willingness to try new ideas, thus enabling Kona to become a cutting edge sustainable community. 7 Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan, January 2008. See also, The Natural Step for Communities by S. James and T. Lahti which explains the four conditions of a sustainable society. 3-4 KONA CDP