Recomended Hāmākua CDP Policy Rationale

Home

"Direct future settlement patterns that are sustainable and connected. Honor Hdmdkua's historic and cultural assets by concentrating new development in existing, walkable, mixed-use town centers while limiting rural sprawl." The roadway network should provide adequate connections and reflect a priority for compact neighborhoods. A review of the roadway network throughout the urban areas of the Planning Area confirmed that it is adequate and would often support the projected growth. This review also justifies curbing rural sprawl due to the prevalence of sub -standard roads -in -limbo in the rural and predominately mauka areas. 8. Factor 8: Align with infrastructure — Wastewater. The eighth factor in developing LUPAG recommendations is based on the Community Objective #6, which states: "Develop and improve critical community infrastructure, including utilities to keep our 'ohana safe, strong, and healthy." The earlier objective directing that new developments be located in existing town centers is dependent on these town centers having adequate infrastructure to serve their existing inhabitants and accommodate projected growth. However, the review of County infrastructure has demonstrated that many towns in the Planning Area lack sufficient wastewater service. Additionally, while it is common practice to develop individual wastewater systems (generally septic systems or cesspools), this adds to the costs and can affect affordable housing development, raises environmental and regulatory concerns for densely populated communities, and increases the ambiguous nature of future infrastructure improvements (e.g., will developments later be compelled to hook up to municipal sewer systems as they become available?). Therefore, the CDP LUPAG recommendations are based to some degree on where wastewater systems are available, but will also be used as rationale to justify where service should be developed or improved in urban areas as part of an infrastructure priority area. 9. Factor 9: Ensure that commercial designations are appropriate — (MDU). The ninth factor in developing LUPAG recommendations is based on the Community Objective #5, which states: "Direct future settlement patterns that are sustainable and connected. Honor Hdmdkua's historic and cultural assets by concentrating new development in existing, walkable, mixed-use town centers while limiting rural sprawl." While there are several economic development objectives in the CDP, in determining appropriate levels of commercial and higher density residential development, it has become clear that the LUPAG MDU category should be reserved for urban areas with an adequate population to support this level of residential and commercial density. The LUPAG MDU category is characterized as village and neighborhood commercial, allowing for single family and multiple family residential and related functions ('multiple family' residential is described as up to 35 units per acre). For most areas of the Planning Area, this is a dramatically higher density than currently developed or that is desired by their respective communities. Therefore, in several areas the MDU node was either condensed to a smaller area, or completely removed. For the smaller towns with no MDU areas designated, there are several zoning categories available under LUPAG LDU that can accommodate small-scale commercial services. Examples of condensed MDU areas can be seen in Papa'ikou, Pa'auilo, Laupahoehoe, and Honomu; examples of where MDU areas were removed can be seen in Hakalau, and Haina. See also Policy 3. 231Page