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LUPAG 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 Policy Map serves two purposes. First, it serves as the official land use policy 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 Official Land Use Policy 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 May 2016 www.hamakuacdp.info hamakua@hawaiicounty.gov