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There is an exception for renovations to designated historic buildings, and that is a possibility <br />that can be explored. There are several designated historic buildings in downtown, including <br />the Hata Building. <br />Much of the downtown in also in what's called the Special Management Area, or SMA. <br />Generally, the coastal areas around the island are in the SMA. In downtown, the makai side of <br />Kilauea and Keawe is the SMA line. As a practical matter, it means that new buildings, or major <br />external renovations to existing buildings, need a permit from the county planning commission, <br />which is an extra step and takes time and money. <br />Is this absolutely necessary? I think probably not, although the planning commission would <br />have to amend the SMA maps to remove the downtown from the SMA. <br />What now? I think the 2025 plan gives lots of good directions. We're working, as a county, to <br />implement some of them, including the Bayfront trails project, which will help tie the town into <br />its natural setting along the bay and Wailuku River, something we really haven't taken <br />advantage of. <br />Downtown is a lot like the Palace Theater —a gem of another era, which has somehow survived, <br />but still with work to do. <br />[End] <br />0 <br />