HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0677.042 2022-2024it i, t ,,- :r
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Sept. 17, 2024, 9 a.m.
Hawai'i County Building
To: Hawai'i County Council
Heather Kimball, Chair
Holeka Goro Inaba, Vice -Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Jonathan Helton, Policy Researcher
RE: Bill 123 — RELATING TO OHANA DWELLING UNITS
Aloha Chair Kimball, Vice -Chair Inaba and other members of the Council,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports Bill 123. Draft 5, which would abolish the "ohana dwelling" permit,
redefine ohana dwellings as "accessory dwelling units," make changes to where and how such units are
allowed to be built, and allow guest houses and ADUs to be built on the same lots.
Importantly, Bill 123 would abolish the existing duplicative approval process that requires someone interested
in building an ADU to get a specific ADU permit before applying for their building permit — even if the ADU
would be allowed by the zoning and would have adequate water and wastewater access.
The current draft would permit a maximum of three ADUs on each lot in the state urban land use district that
is zoned single-family residential, double -family residential, residential and agricultural, family agricultural or
agricultural — except for lots that allow more than one primary residence, in which case only one ADU per
primary residence would be allowed.
It would also limit each ADU to 1,250 square feet of living area, not counting garages, lanais or carports.
This bill in its current form would help meet the county's obligations under the state's Act 39, which requires
the counties to allow multiple ADUs on some or all residentially zoned lots.
It also would conform with the objectives of the current draft of the county's "General Plan 2045" in helping to
create innovative and affordable housing options for "missing middle" and mixed -income communities.
1050 Bishop St. #508 Honolulu, HI 96813 808-864-1776 info@grassrootinstitute.org
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One of the actions outlined in Objective 37 of the plan is that the county should "amend the zoning and
building regulations to allow affordability of various housing types, particularly the missing middle in urban
areas.."1
Likewise, Objective 39 of the plan suggests the county "amend land use and building regulations to reduce
costs and streamline the processing of affordable housing applications and facilitate concurrent applications
when possible."'
We urge the Council to adopt this bill in its current form, without amendments.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Jonathan Helton
Policy Researcher
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
1 " f w i'iF'n m " July 2024, p. 183.
Z Ibid, p. 184.
1050 Bishop St. #508 Honolulu, HI 96813 808-864-1776 info@grassrootinstitute.org