PD BACKGROUND REPORT (PL-SLU-2022-006 & PL-REZ-2022-026)

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§205-2 Districting and classification of lands . (a) There shall be four major land use districts in which all lands in the State shall be placed: urban, rural, agricultural, and conservation. The land use commission shall group contiguous land areas suitable for inclusion in one of these four major districts . The commission shall set standards for determining the boundaries of each district, provided that : (1) In the establishment of boundaries of urban districts those lands that are now in urban use and a sufficient reserve area for foreseeable urban growth shall be included; (2) In the establishment of boundaries for rural districts, areas of land composed primarily of small farms mixed with very low density residential lots, which may be shown by a minimum density of not more than one house per one-half acre and a minimum lot size of not less than one-half acre shall be included, except as herein provided; (3) In the establishment of the boundaries of agricultural districts the greatest possible protection shall be given to those lands with a high capacity for intensive cultivation; and (4) In the establishment of the boundaries of conservation districts, the "forest and water reserve zones" provided in Act 234, section 2, Session Laws of Hawaii 1957, are renamed "conservation districts" and, effective as of July 11, 1961, the boundaries of the forest and water reserve zones theretofore established pursuant to Act 234, section 2, Session Laws of Hawaii 1957, shall constitute the boundaries of the conservation districts; provided that thereafter the power to determine the boundaries of the conservation districts shall be in the commission. In establishing the boundaries of the districts in each county, the commission shall give consideration to the master plan or general plan of the county. (b) Urban districts shall include activities or uses as provided by ordinances or regulations of the county within which the urban district is situated. In addition, urban districts shall include geothermal resources exploration and geothermal resources development, as defined under section 182-1, as permissible uses . (c) Rural districts shall include activities or uses as characterized by low density residential lots of not more than one dwelling house per one-half acre, except as provided by county ordinance pursuant to section 46-4 (c) , in areas where "city-like" concentration of people, structures, streets, and urban level of services are absent, and where small farms are intermixed with low density residential lots except that within a subdivision, as defined in section 484-1, the commission for good cause may allow one lot of less than one-half acre, but not less than eighteen thousand five hundred square feet, or an equivalent residential density, within a rural subdivision and permit the construction of one dwelling on such lot; provided that all other dwellings in the subdivision shall have a minimum lot size of one-half acre or 21, 780 square feet . Such petition for variance may be processed under the special permit procedure . These districts may include contiguous areas which are not suited to low density residential lots or small farms by reason of topography, soils, and other related characteristics . Rural districts shall also include golf courses, golf driving ranges, and golf-related facilities . Planning Dept. Exhibit 1