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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0228.000 1998-2000 COUNTY OF HAWAII GENERAL PLAN REVISION PROGRAM ' RECEIVED iime..------ Y-----___..-..~,.... Data -_`3TS~Y-~------7-----....+- County Council/~-/'C COUNTY OF HAWAII PLANNING DEPARTMENT 25 AUPUNI STREET HILO, HAWAII 96720 (808) 961-8288 (808) 961-8742 e-mail: planning@ilhawaii.net January 26, 1999 Comm. No. F51e No. PL`O Rer'. To: Pr P~ Rer. r~xte- ~ s ~ HAWAII COUNTY GENERAL PLAN REVT TON ROGRAM Overview: The General Plan is a policy document for the long-range comprehensive development of the island of Hawaii. The General Plan provides the direction for the future growth of the County. It brings into focus the relationship between residents and their pursuits and institutions, offering policy statements which embody the expressed goals for present and future generations. As a policy document, the General Plan provides the legal basis for all subdivision, zoning and related ordinances. It also provides the legal basis for the initiation and authorization for all public improvements and projects. The General Plan is used also as the basis for the initiation and/or review of all State Land Use district boundary amendments. County Charter Provisions: • Section 3-15: The 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, standards and principles with respect to the most desirable use of land within the county for residential, recreational, agricultural, commercial, industrial and other purposes which shall be consistent with proper conservation of natural resources and the preservation of our natural beauty and historical sites; the most desirable density of population in the several parts of the county; a system of principal thoroughfares, highways, streets, public access to the shorelines, and other open spaces; the general locations, relocations and improvement of public buildings, the general location and extent of public utilities and terminals, whether publicly or privately owned, for water, sewers, light, power, transit, and other purposes; the extent and location of public housing projects; adequate drainage facilities and control; air pollution; and such other matters 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. • Section 5-4.2(b): The Planning Director shall: Prepare a general plan and amendments thereof to guide the development of the county, district or districts. z History of the General Plan: General plan studies in the County of Hawaii were initiated in the late 1950's on a regional basis. The first of these studies, A Plan for Kona, was completed in 1960 and encompassed the districts of North and South Kona. A Plan for the Metropolitan Area of Hilo was completed in 1961 for the districts of South Hilo and Puna. The Kohala-Hamakua Region General p1~ was completed in 1963 and covered part of the district of North Kona and the districts of North and South Kohala, Hamakua, and North Hilo. These plans were adopted by Ordinance No. 317 in July 1965, as the General Plan for the County. The district of Ka'u was the only area in the County not covered by this plan. On December 15, 1971, the County adopted its first comprehensive General Plan which included all districts. This General Plan reflected a departure from previous plans which were done for various regions of the island with little island- wide integrative efforts. The previous plans were also land use or physically oriented with no firm policy statements or guidelines. The 1971 General Plan, however, set forth the policy for the comprehensive development of the entire island. It also reflected an awareness of the social, physical, and economic environments and their relationship to one another. _ The plan consisted of twelve major elements ranging from economic activities to historic sites to land use which were further broken down into sub-elements. 3 Goals, policies, standards, and courses of action were set forth for each element of the General Plan. The goals are general expressions of the desired long-range direction and situation for the island. Policies state the method or strategy which should be undertaken in order to attain the goals. The quality and quantity by which we can measure or evaluate conditions are the standards of the elements. Courses of action are more precise or detailed discussions of alternative solutions for community concerns and problems. In 1978, a review of the General Plan's Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) map was conducted, and a comprehensive review of the entire General Plan commenced during the latter part of the 1.980's. The plan was subsequently amended on November 14, 1989 as Ordinance No. 89 12. Intent of the General Plan: The General Plan is intended to achieve the following basic purposes: • To improve the physical environment of the County as a setting for human activities - to make it more functional, beautiful, healthful, interesting and efficient. • To promote and safeguard the public interest, and the interest of the County as a whole. 4 • To facilitate the democratic determination of community policies concerning the utilization of its natural, man-made and human resources. • To effect political and technical coordination in community improvement and development. • To inject long-range considerations into the determination of short-range actions and implementation. • To provide an objective and flexible framework within which consistent legislative and administrative decisions can be effected. Study Elements: The study elements of the existing General Plan are: • Economic Activities: Describes the human, capital and natural resources used to produce goods and services for consumption in local and overseas markets. • Energy: Describes the energy situation for the County and explains the incentive for promoting energy conservatiori- and the development of indigenous energy resources including solar, hydrologic and geothermal. s • Environmental Quality: Identifies the factors affecting the island's environmental quality and describes the precautions and safeguards necessary to maintain and improve the quality of the environment for the physical, psychological and social well-being of residents and visitors. • Flood Control and Drainage: Pertains to the conservation and protection of life, improvements and natural resources from excess runoff due to either man- made improvements, natural causes or inundation from tsunamis and heavy seas. • Historic Sites: Identifies artifacts and sites of historical and cultural importance. • Natural Beauty: Identifies areas of unique natural beauty which are a principle asset of the island, and which require programs for their conservation, preservation, and integration with other elements. • Natural Resources and Shoreline: Describes the valuable and often irreplaceable natural assets of the island which require programs for their protection and wise use. • Housing: Addresses the requirements for and the quantity, quality, and distribution of housing units in the County. It also addresses critical housing problems of the County. 6 • Public Facilities: Pertains to the location and distribution of facilities for education and public safety and for social, custodial and health services. • Public Utilities: Describes the distribution of power, light, and water, the collection and disposition of waste, sewage, and the provision of communication facilities which are essential to the efficient functioning of a modern community. • Recreation: Examines the requirements of the County for active and passive outdoor activities, cultural events and pastimes, as well as attendant facilities and areas. • Transportation: Describes the requirements for air and water transport terminal facilities linking the County with the rest of the State and overseas areas, and the island's network of streets, highways and roads. • Land Use: Studies the relationship of human activities to the uses of land and the location, spatial relationship, and topography of land uses. This element is subdivided according to uses into the following designations: • Agricultural: Encompasses all types of agricultural_ endeavors, specified industrial uses, residential and ancillary community and public uses. • Commercial: Comprised of industries in the retail trade and service categories and certain non-noxious enterprises from other industrial classifications. • Industrial: Includes uses which may not be compatible with commercial areas (such as manufacturing and processing, wholesaling, large storage and transportation facilities, power plants, and government base yards) as well as other industrial, manufacturing or wholesaling uses. • Multiple Residential: Includes duplexes, apartments, town houses; all types of residential structures and ancillary community and public uses. • Open: Includes conservation lands, forest and water reserves, natural and scientific preserves and potential natural hazard areas. • Public: Includes Federal, State, County and University owned lands. • Resort: Consists primarily of areas with basic amenities and attributes which attract developments of visitor accommodations and related facilities. • Single-family Residential: Consists of single-family detached houses and ancillary community and public uses. s As an aid to understanding the inter-relationship of the components of the General Plan, the separate elements of the General Plan may also be described as follows: The Introduction and the Economic element describe the foundations and factors which generate population and economic opportunities and growth on the island of Hawaii. The Environmental Quality, Energy, Flood Control and Drainage, Historic Sites, Natural Beauty, and Natural Resources and the Shoreline elements describe those natural and social conditions which influence and set parameters to development opportunities on the island. The Housing, Public Facilities, Public Utilities, Recreation, and Transportation elements describe those services, facilities, and improvements which are required to accommodate the growth of population and support the economy. The Land Use element describes the distribution, pattern, and location of the various activities addressed in the other elements of the General Plan. Each study element includes the following sections: • Introduction and Analysis: Describes the element and summarizes findings, County-wide characteristics and _ features, trends, changes, and problems, as well as the outlook and opportunities for the immediate and distant future. The analysis also involves interrelationships with other elements. 9 • Goals: Indicates the desired long-range direction and situation which have been enunciated by community groups, officially expressed in the past or implied in governmental programs. They attempt to provide a cohesive and comprehensive framework within which social and economic programs and governmental effort can be coordinated. • Policies: States the methods or strategy which should be undertaken to attain the goals stated. These are action and program oriented and involve the formulation of standard procedures, program evaluation and review, rules and regulations, ordinances and laws, budgeting, specific projects, etc. • Standards: Concerned with qualitative and quantitative criteria by which situations can be evaluated or benchmark established. Standards are basically "yardsticks" or indicators, minimum conditions or levels of quality necessary for the well-being of the public. • Districts: Many study elements require a more precise and definitive discussion of community concerns and problems. This section attempts to identify specific localized alternatives on a community, district or regional basis. io ~ Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide Map: The General Plan also includes a Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) Map. The LUPAG Map indicates the general location of various land uses in relation to each other. The land use pattern is a broad, flexible design intended to guide the direction and quality of future developments in a coordinated and rational manner. Land uses are designed generally on the LUPAG Map in reference to the following categories: • High Density Urban: Commercial, multiple, residential and related services (general and office commercial; multiple residential - up to 87 units per acre). • Medium Density Urban: Village and neighborhood commercial and residential and related functions (3-story commercial; residential - up to 35 units per acre). • Low Density Urban: Single family residential in character, ancillary community and public uses, and convenience type commercial uses. • Resort Area: These areas include uses such as hotels, condominium-hotels (condominiums developed and/or operated as hotels), and supporting services. ii • Urban Expansion Area: Allows for a mix of high density, medium density, low density, industrial and/or open designations in areas where new settlements may be desirable, but where the specific settlement pattern and mix of uses have not yet been determined. Within areas designated for development as resorts, portions of the resort area may be included in the urban expansion area. • Industrial Area: These areas include uses such as manufacturing and processing, wholesaling, large storage and transportation facilities, and light industrial uses. • Intensive Agriculture: Sugar, orchard, diversified agriculture, and floriculture. • Extensive Agriculture: Pasturage and range lands. • Orchard: Those agricultural lands which though rocky in character and content may support productive macadamia nuts, papaya, citrus and other similar agricultural products. • University: University and support community services. • Open: Parks and historic sites. • Conservation Area: Forest and water reserves, natural and scientific preserves, open, lands within the State Land Use Conservation District. iz Facilities Map: Besides the LUPAG Map, the General Plan also includes a Facilities Map. This map delineates the current location of various public facilities (i.e., schools, fire station, hospitals, civic center, etc.), public utilities (i.e., water, sewer, etc.), and transportation facilities and major roadways, both existing and proposed. The Facilities Map also includes geological features (i.e., tsunami inundation and flood hazard areas, rift and fault zones, etc.). Plan Implementation: One of the most critical phases of the planning program is the implementation of the General Plan. Implementation of the General Plan requires the development of middle and short range community, functional, and area plans. It also requires a systematic review of implementing ordinances such as the zoning and subdivision codes and the adoption of amendments to these codes in accordance with policies and standards of the General Plan. The implementation is also related to the capital improvements and operating budgets. The capital improvements budget includes public improvements and facilities to accommodate the 13 anticipated growth, and the County operational budget encompasses programs and services. Both are major components in the implementation of the General Plan. Implementation of the General Plan policies also require the adoption of ordinances to establish programs such as historic sites, housing, area improvement financing, areas of natural beauty, etc. Implementation also includes the initiation of land use changes on both the State and County levels. 14 General Plan Revision Program: According to the General Plan, a comprehensive review should commence every ten years. Since the General Plan was last amended in November of 1989, a comprehensive review should commence no later than November 14, 1999. Rather than wait until November of 1999, however, the Planning Department has decided to commence with the comprehensive review of the General Plan now. The entire process is anticipated to take approximately two years before the proposed amendments to the General Plan are adopted. Although only nine years have elapsed since the adoption of the current General Plan, many changes have occurred since then within Hawaii County. The planning process is viewed as a continuous and dynamic process instead of a static one. Therefore, the General Plan must be reviewed to accommodate changes for the future. Tasks of General Plan Review: Preparation of the General Plan Revision Program involves the process of planning and provides the opportunity to broaden the base of citizen participation, review, and understanding. The _ planning process to be utilized for the current comprehensive review and revision of the General Plan will include an assessment of the various elements relative to new and changing data, laws, and methods of analysis. Each study element will is then be analyzed and evaluated in relation to all other elements, County and district goals, and the land use pattern. Potentially, a change in one element could affect other elements as well as the land use pattern. Similarly, a change in County and district goals could potentially be reflected in all elements and in the land use pattern. The comprehensive review of the General Plan will involve the gathering and assessing of data related to each element in order to identify present and future conditions and problems. The tasks of this General Plan review will therefore include the following: • Revisit County and district goals and objectives. • Conduct a detail land use inventory. • Conduct an economic assessment study, which includes population projections and distribution. • Delineate land use patterns including vehicular circulation, public facilities and utilities, community facilities, historical sites, flooding and inundation areas, etc. • Summarize present features of the County and each district, and estimate future requirements to govern location, size, and number of land use components, including public facilities. 16 • Prepare standards of land use and /or development including density, recreation facilities, preservation of historic sites, safeguards for flooding and inundation areas, etc. • Enumerate special County and district problems and recommend alternative solutions relative to the General Plan. • Formulate implementation program. i~ Project Task and Schedule: • Informal public Information mtgs (January-March 1998) • Economic assessment study (June 1998 -Feb. 1999) Consultant: The CPA Consulting Group, Inc. dba PKF Hawaii • Data gathering & analysis (Mar 1998 -May 1999) • Update Land Use Inventory (Jun 998 -Mar 1999) • Draft amendments to text, LUPAG/Facilities Maps (August 1999) • Public Workshops on draft amendments (Sept -Nov 1999) • Revisions to draft amendments (Nov -Dec 1999) • Transmit draft to Planning Commission (Dec 1999) • Planning Commission Hearings (Jan -Feb 2000) • Planning Commission Action (Mar 2000) • P.C. transmits to County Council (Mar 2000) • County Council Action (Year 2000) • Mayor's Approval (Year 2000) • Printing of General Plan (Year 2000)