HomeMy WebLinkAboutGeneral Plan LUPAG FAQ Categories 2016-11LUPAG Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is LUPAG?
LUPAG is the acronym for the Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide in the Hawai'i County General Plan.
The LUPAG is a broad, flexible design tool to guide the direction and quality of future developments
in a coordinated and rational manner. It indicates the general location of various land uses in
relation to each other.
State land use boundary amendments, changes in zone, project districts, subdivisions, planned unit
developments, use permits, variances, and plan approval must be consistent with the General Plan.
LUPAG designations can be revised through either a General Plan Interim Amendment or the General
Plan Comprehensive Review, which is completed approximately every ten years.
2. How do the LUPAG designations relate to County Zoning?
The LUPAG designations guide decisions related to future land use. For example, any proposed
rezoning must be consistent with the LUPAG. However, County zoning determines a parcel's current
permitted land use and development entitlements.
3. What does it mean if a LUPAG designation is changed for a particular parcel?
The LUPAG designations do not change a parcel's underlying County zoning or State Land Use District
and therefore do not affect a parcel's permitted uses or entitlements. A change in the LUPAG
designation simply changes the guidance for future land use decisions, particularly relating to rezone
requests (generally initiated by the property owner). The County would likely support a rezone
request that is consistent with the LUPAG designation.
4. Is the Hdmdkua CDP Official Land Use Policy Map the some as the LUPAG Map?
No — they are not exactly the same. The CDP Land Use Guide Map serves two purposes. First, it
serves as the land use guide for the Hamakua CDP planning area. However, if there is a direct conflict
between the CDP and the General Plan, the General Plan (including the LUPAG) shall be controlling.
Second, the CDP Land Use Policy Map serves as a guide to future LUPAG amendments. The General
Plan authorizes CDPs to make recommendations regarding amending the General Plan — including its
maps. The Hamakua CDP is using its Land Use Guide Map as the tool to recommend LUPAG
amendments. These LUPAG amendments require further action after the CDP is adopted through a
process involving public hearings before the Planning Commission and the County Council.
5. LUPAG Important Agricultural Lands Designation vs. State Important Agricultural Lands (IAL):
It is important to recognize that the current General Plan uses the term "Important Agricultural
Lands" as one of its agricultural categories, but there is no correlation to the State's Important
Agricultural Lands designation from Hawai'i Revised Statues §205-41 through 52. The LUPAG
terminology is expected to be revised in the upcoming General Plan Comprehensive Review to avoid
confusion concerning these two, unrelated land use designations.
Hdmdkua CDP November 2016 www.hamakuacdp.info hamakua@hawaiicounty.gov
General Plan Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) Map Categories
AGRICULTURAL DESIGNATIONS
RURAL
11mportant Agricultural Land: Important agricultural lands are those with better potential for
sustained high agricultural yields because of soil type, climate, topography, or other factors.
Important agricultural lands were determined by including the following lands:
• Lands identified as "Intensive Agriculture" on the 1989 General Plan Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide
maps.
• Lands identified in the Agricultural Lands of Importance to the State of Hawai'i (ALISH) classification
system as "Prime" or "Unique"
• Lands classified by the Land Study Bureau's Soil Survey Report as Class B "Good" soils. (There are no
Class A lands on the island of Hawaii)
• Lands classified as at least "fair' for two or more crops, on an irrigated basis, by the USDA Natural
Resource Conservation Service's study of suitability for various crops.
• In North and South Kona, the "coffee belt", a continuous band defined by elevation, according to input
from area farmers.
• State agricultural parks.
Because of the scale of the Land use Pattern Allocation Guide maps used to designate Important
Agricultural Land, the location of these lands should be verified by more detailed mapping when
considering specific land use decisions.
Extensive Agriculture: Lands not classified as Important Agricultural Land. Includes lands that are not
capable of producing sustained, high agricultural yields without the intensive application of modern
farming methods and technologies due to certain physical constraints such as soil composition,
slope, machine tillability and climate. Other less intensive agricultural uses such as grazing and
pasture may be included in the Extensive Agriculture category.
Some areas that meet the criteria for important agricultural lands on an irrigated basis only were
included in the "Extensive Agriculture" category due to their remoteness from potential sources of
irrigation.
Rural includes existing subdivisions in the State Land Use Agricultural and Rural districts that have a
significant residential component. Typical lot sizes vary from 9,000 -square feet to two acres. These
subdivisions may contain small farms, wooded areas, and open fields as well as residences.
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.
Most lack the infrastructure necessary to allow further subdivision.
1 See page 1, item #S for a clarification on the difference between LUPAG ImportontAgricultural Lands and the State of Hawaii
Important Agricultural Lands.
Hpmpkua CDP November 2016 www.hamakuacdp.info hamakua@hawaiicounty.gov
URBAN DESIGNATIONS
Low Density Urban (LDU): Residential, with ancillary community and public uses, and neighborhood
and convenience -type commercial uses, overall residential density may be up to six units per acre.
Medium Density Urban (MDU): Village and neighborhood commercial and single family and multiple
family residential and related functions (multiple family residential -- up to 35 units per acre).
High Density Urban (HDU): General commercial, multiple family residential and related services
(multiple family residential -- up to 87 units per acre). [Note: there is no HDU in the Hamakua
Planning Area]
Industrial Area: These areas include uses such as manufacturing and processing, wholesaling, large
storage and transportation facilities, light industrial and industrial -commercial uses.
URBAN EXPANSION AREA (UE)
Allows for a mix of high density, medium density, low density, industrial, industrial -commercial
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. [Note: the only UE area in the
Planning Area is predominately located in a coastal area in O'okala currently owned by the State of
Hawai'i.
RESORT DESIGNATIONS
Resort Node: These areas include a mix of visitor -related uses such as hotels, condominium -hotels
(condominiums developed and/or operated as hotels), single family and multiple family residential
units, golf courses and other typical resort recreational facilities, resort commercial complexes and
other support services. Only Major Resort Areas are identified as Resort Nodes on the LUPAG Map.
Resort Area: These areas include a mix of uses such as hotels, condominium hotels (condominiums
developed and/or operated as hotels), and support services. Intermediate Resort, Minor Resort,
and Retreat Resort Areas are identified as Resort Areas on the LUPAG Map.
CONSERVATION AREA
OPEN
Forest and water reserves, natural and scientific preserves, areas in active management for
conservation purposes, areas to be kept in a largely natural state, with minimal facilities consistent
with open space uses, such as picnic pavilions and comfort stations, and lands within the State Land
Use Conservation District.
Parks and other recreational areas, historic sites, and open shoreline areas.
Hpmpkua CDP November 2016 www.hamakuacdp.info hamakua@hawaiicounty.gov