HAMAKUA CDP MEMO v4 - redacted - Laserfiche WebLink

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*The CDP states: These preexisting lots have created a challenging land use scenario because in practice, the majority of these areas are "de facto" rural subdivisions within a State and County land use system that historically underutilized the State Land Use Rural District and Rural LUPAG designations. *COMMENT: The homestead parcels are too big to be rural; too small to be productive agricultural ---but can still be ZONED agriculture (and LUPAG could be Rural) ---see conclusion of these comments below for a suggestion to deal with the homestead lands *The CDP states: THIS POLICY IS INTENDED TO SET APPROPRIATE CRITERIA FOR WHEN THIS RURAL DESIGNATION CAN BE USED. Note the General Plan's LUPAG description for Rural describes the category as including EXISTING SUBDIVISIONS in the State Land Agricultural and Rural districts that have a SIGNIFICANT RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT. While rural lot sizes can vary from 9,000 -square feet to five acres, new recommended Rural designations in the Hamakua CDP have corresponding County zoning densities of a maximum of 1 unit per 1 acre. As noted in the General Plan, the allowable uses within these areas (with appropriate zoning) may include COMMERCIAL FACILITIES THAT SERVE THE RESIDENTIAL AND AGRICULTURAL USES in the area, and community and public facilities. The Rural designation does not necessarily mean that these areas should be further subdivided to smaller lots as most lack the infrastructure necessary to allow further subdivision. The General Plan describes rural development this way: "Rural -style residential -agricultural developments may include either new small-scale rural communities or extensions of existing rural communities. Such development provides opportunities for a mix of residential and small-scale agricultural activities. However, THE PRIMARY INTENT OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS WOULD BE TO PROVIDE AN ADDED RANGE TO HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES. Along with this housing, the large lots of these rural areas will provide opportunities for part-time agriculture, gardening activities and the raising of livestock on a small scale. By providing opportunities to satisfy the demand for a rural lifestyle on MARGINAL agricultural land, the pressures to develop important agricultural land for these purposes would be decreased." (General Plan 14.2.1) *COMMENT: The CDP text quoted immediately above exactly describes Kihalani Homestead. There are housing opportunities on all the parcels: most of which already have housing and the other rural uses. *The CDP states: This General Plan description of rural -style residential -agriculture developments presents some AMBIGUITY, particularly about what constitutes "marginal agricultural lands" that are appropriate for this style of rural residential development. *COMMENT: "Marginal lands" describes parcel 055 and the other homestead parcels. Most or all of the homestead parcels are deficient in one way or other regarding agricultural suitability (see part 2C. IAL Criteria above). This does not mean the homestead parcels cannot provide benefits to our community. Only to say they are not candidates for IAL. *The CDP states: FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE HAMAKUA CDP, the intent of recommending LUPAG Rural designations in some areas is to accommodate existing land uses, to create a transition area of small farm/residential land uses between the urban LDU and the larger lot agricultural (often Ag -20) areas, *COMMENT: This exactly describes Kihalani Homestead... the first "larger lot agricultural (often Ag -20)" areas are located right after the end of Kihalani Homestead Road. Ag -20 should be expressed as "20 acres or more" because 20 acres is the smallest conforming parcel for zoning purposes. As far as Ag -20 describing Kihalani Homestead, there has never been and EV