2024-11-21 Moku Loa Hawaii Island Sierra Club Testimony (2)

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Hawaii County Scenic Resources Inventory and Mapping Project Project Purpose The County of Hawai'i Planning Department initiated a comprehensive review of the General Plan in February 2015. As required by HRS §226-58 and Hawai'i County Charter §3-15, the Plan must include, among other things, objectives, policies, and implementation actions for land use, natural resources conservation, and the preservation of scenic beauty, open space, and other scenic resources. The County of Hawai'i contracted Planning Consultants Hawai'i to conduct an inventory of the County's scenic resources along its State Highways and select County roadways. The "Scenic Resources Inventory and Mapping Project' accomplished the following objectives: 1 . Identified and inventoried Hawaii County's scenic, viewshed, and open space resources using digital photography and Geographic Positioning Systems (GPS); 2. Mapped the scenic resources using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and for use with geodesign-based scenario modeling (i.e., CommunityViz); and 3. Described and prioritized the scenic resources using prescribed standards and practices. The purpose of this element of the study is to document methods that can be developed and implemented to protect the County's scenic resources for future generations. The study will bring forth scenic resource protection programs and methods that are in use elsewhere. The objective is to conduct research on view plane protection strategies that different local, state, and federal government units have adopted that might serve as a model to assist County planners and policy makers in the development of a scenic resources protection program tailored to the unique needs of Hawaii County. Scenic Resource Protection Programs and Strategies Page I I