PVDG Reso - final 15May14 - Laserfiche WebLink

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WHEREAS, Pahoa, being geographically situated near the center of the most rapidly growing portion of the Puna District, is the principle point of access to goods and services for residents and visitors alike; and WHEREAS, Pahoa has experienced extensive and persistent commercial development and redevelopment activity as well as multiple applications for up-zoning over the past 10 years with little or no ability to address inadequate infrastructure needs or to preserve its unique "sense of place"; and WHEREAS, Resolution No. 313-12 called for a delay on new up-zonings in the Pahoa Regional Town Center planning area until a Pahoa Regional Town Center Plan is adopted or June 30, 2013, whichever shall occur first; and WHEREAS, Resolution No. 313-12 was adopted by the Council to allow the community, through a legitimate, deliberate and inclusive community based planning process, to define how best to solve existing problems, to allocate space for new growth, and to preserve its historical heritage; and WHEREAS, a Pahoa Regional Town Center Plan Steering Committee consisting of community leaders and interested stakeholders formed in October 2011 to begin a process for developing a growth management plan with design guidelines for Pahoa Village; and WHEREAS,the Pahoa Regional Town Center Plan Steering Committee has initiated an effective outreach program to gather public input through facilitated community meetings and an extensive public survey in order to define a community vision and to determine a methodology for well-planned future growth and community direction in Pahoa; and WHEREAS,the Pahoa Regional Town Center Plan Steering Committee and the Puna Community Development Plan Action Committee, in collaboration with the Planning Department, have prepared and submitted legislation to amend Chapter 25 (Zoning Code) of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended) to establish a Pahoa Village Design (PVD) district; and WHEREAS,the Pahoa Regional Town Center Plan Steering Committee, in collaboration with the Planning Department, has geographically defined the PVD district. WHEREAS,the Pahoa Regional Town Center Plan Steering Committee has, in collaboration with the Planning Department, prepared architectural design guidelines that identify the underlying design principles that define Pahoa's unique history and architectural character, and establish architectural design guidelines to preserve and enhance the "sense of place"that residents and visitors alike identify with Pahoa; and WHEREAS,the Mayor, the Planning Department, the County Council, and the Pahoa community are committed to the Regional Town Center Plan process as a guiding principle for responsible smart-growth planning and community direction in Pahoa; now, therefore, 2