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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 235 Draft 01 2006-2008 .s COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII •••A~O~~M•~ RESOLUTION NO. 235 07 A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PLANNING DIRECTOR TO INITIATE AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 25, HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005 EDITION, AS AMENDED) RELATING TO ZONING. WHEREAS, the Hawaii County Charter Section 3-15 charges the county council with the responsibility for enacting zoning, subdivision, and other such ordinances when it states, in part: "T'he county council shall adopt by ordinance a general plan which shall set forth the council's policy for long-range comprehensive physical development of the county. It shall contain a statement of development objectives, standazds and principles with respect to the most desirable use of land within the county for residential, recreational, agricultural, commercial, industrial and other purposes and such other matter as may, in the council's judgment, be beneficial to the social, economic, and governmental conditions and trends and shall be designed to assure the coordinated development of the county and to promote the general welfare and prosperity of its people. (a) The council shall enact zoning, subdivision, and such other ordinances which shall contain the necessary provisions to carry out the purpose of the general plan. (b) No public improvement or project, or subdivision or zoning ordinance, shall be initiated or adopted unless the same conforms to and implements the general plan."; and WHEREAS, section 3.1 of the general plan, Energy; Introduction and Analysis, states that the county must reduce its dependence on imported petroleum and encourage renewable energy production on the island when it states, in part: "The County of Hawaii must decrease economic vulnerability and energy costs. To do so, the County must combine the efforts of energy efficiency and the development of natural renewable energy alternatives that reduce the dependence on imported fossil fuels and increase energy self-sufficiency."; and WHEREAS, power rates in Hawaii County are among the highest in the nation, a fact which the general plan acknowledges is partially due to high distribution costs for transmitting power from the generation centers in East Hawaii to customers in West Hawaii when it states in section 3.1, in part: "Power rates on this island are among the highest in the nation... The major generating plants aze located in East Hawaii. This requires generating more in East Hawaii to compensate for losses in lines going over to West Hawaii. Other factors creating higher costs are the small mazket and the sparseness of population in a relatively lazge service area."; and WHEREAS, private initiatives to enhance energy efficiency and generate renewable power closer to customer load centers should be encouraged, especially in the fast-growing azeas of West Hawaii; and WHEREAS, wind energy facilities are clean, renewable energy sources, which produce no emissions or chemical wastes; and WHEREAS, the Waikoloa Village Association is exploring opportunities to become more energy self-sufficient, through photovoltaic and wind power generation; and WHEREAS, the Waikoloa Village Association owns a 250-acre pazcel of land located within the Open zoned district that is being considered as a site for potential wind power generation; and WHEREAS, wind energy facilities, with proper approval by the planning depaztment and planning commission through the use permit process, may be compatible with the stated purpose of the Open district; and 2 WHEREAS, the council recognizes: (1) its mandate established by the Hawaii County Charter to enact zoning ordinances which carry out the provisions of the general plan; (2) the urgency for developing clean, renewable energy production on the island in light of the county's energy vulnerability and global climate change; and (3) the Waikoloa Village Association's demonstrated desire to develop a wind energy facility on its property near Waikoloa; now therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that pursuant to section 6-4.2(c) of the Hawaii County Charter 2000 (as amended) and section 25-2- 43(b) of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), the planning director is requested to prepare a bill for an ordinance to amend Chapter 25, article 5, division 16, section 25-5-162(b), Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), to permit wind energy facilities in the Open zoned district; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that pursuant to section 6-4.3(c) of the Hawaii County Charter 2000 (as amended) and section 25-2-43(b) of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), the planning commission is requested to review and transmit such proposed bill for an ordinance with recommendations thereon through the mayor to the council for consideration and action; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the council requests that said proposed bill for an ordinance be transmitted to the council for consideration and action within 120 days from the transmittal date of this resolution to the director; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the council shall consider said draft bill for an ordinance following said 120-day review period in order to make modifications, additions, or deletions, which are within the council's authority as the legislative branch of the County of Hawaii; and 3 BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall forward copies of this resolution to Mayor Harry Kim, the County Planning Department, and the Planning Commission. Dated at Hilo , Hawaii, this l0 tl~ day of -r„ i ~r , 2007 INTRODUCED BY: COUNCIL M BER, O . TY HAWA `I COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE COUIIty Of H3Wa1`1 AYES NOES ABS EX Hilo, Hawaii FGRD X HIGA X I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by HOFFMANN g the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the IKEDA X County ofHawai`ion July 10, 2007 JACOBSON X NAEOLE X ATTEST: PILAGO X YAGONG X YOSHIMOTO 7 0 2 .0 iti7.,.~ Reference: C-472/PC-34 COUNT~CLERK CHAIRMAN P ID G OFF CER RESOLUTION NO. '2`35 O"J 4