Hawai'i County General Plan - An Overview
The County of Hawai`i's General Plan is the policy document for the
long-range comprehensive development of the Island of Hawai`i.
The purposes of the General Plan are:
- Guide the pattern of future development in this County based on long-term goals
- Identify the visions, values and priorities important to the people of this county
- Provide the framework for regulatory decisions, capital
improvement priorities, acquisition strategies and other pertinent
government programs within the County organization and coordinated with
State and Federal programs
- Improve the physical environment of the County as a setting for
human activities; to make it more functional, beautiful, healthful,
interesting and efficient
- Promote and safeguard the public interest and the interest of the County as a whole
- Facilitate the democratic determination of community policies
concerning the utilization of its natural, man-made and human resources
- Effect political and technical coordination in community improvement and development
- Inject long-range considerations into the determination of short-range actions and implementation.
The first of the General Plan studies, “A Plan for Kona,” was completed
in 1960 and encompassed the districts of North and South Kona. This
Plan began a series of regional plans for the island of Hawai`i which
were adopted in July 1965 as the General Plan for the County. The
Hawaii County Charter, adopted in 1968, states that 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. The Charter also details what shall be in the General Plan
and how it is to be carried out.
The first General Plan to be completed after the Charter was in 1971
and they’re in favor of establishing a comprehensive planning program
for Hawaii County. The General Plan represents the first level of
planning and encompasses long-range goals, policies, standards and
courses of action for the entire County. The General Plan also provides
the legal basis for all of the other elements of the County’s planning
structure.
General Plan Components include:
- Functional Plan for Recreation, Sewerage/Drainage, Historic Sites and etc.
- Community Development Plans for Kona, Hilo, Kohala, Puna etc.
- Area Improvement Plans currently include the Kailua Village Design Plan and the Hilo Downtown Development Plan, etc.
- Operating Budget
- Capital Improvement Programs
- Land Use Development Codes: zoning, subdivision, other codes and regulations
Each element of the General Plan has an Introduction and Analysis,
Goals, Policies, Standards, and Course of Action. They can be grouped
as:
- The Introduction and Economic Element describes the foundations
and factors that generate population and economic opportunities and
growth on the island of Hawaii;
- The Environmental Quality, Energy, Flooding and Other Natural
Hazards, Historic Sites, Natural Beauty and the Natural Resources and
Shoreline elements describe those natural and social conditions that
influence and set parameters for development opportunities on the
island;
- The Housing, Public Facilities, Public Utilities, Recreation and
Transportation elements describe those services, facilities and
improvements necessary 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.
The individual Elements of the General Plan are:
- Economic: describes the human, capital and natural resources used to produce goods and services.
- Energy: Describes the energy situation for the County
- Environmental Quality: Identifies the factors affecting the island’s environmental quality.
- Flooding and Natural Hazard: Conservation of life, improvements and natural resources.
- Historic Sites (Cultural Resources): Sites and buildings of historical and cultural importance.
- Natural Beauty: Areas of unique and natural beauty, assets if the island, conserves them.
- Natural Resources and Shoreline: Valuable, irreplaceable natural assets, programs to preserve
- Housing and Single Family Residential: Requirements for quantity, quality, and distribution of housing.
- Public Facilities: Location of education, public safety, social, health services and government.
- Public Utilities: Distribution of power, light, water, solid waste, communication facilities.
- Recreation: Requirements for active and passive outdoor activities, cultural events and pastimes.
- Transportation: Requirements for air water transport terminals
linking the county with the rest of the state; And the Island’s network
of streets, highways and roads.
- Land Use: Relationship of human activities to land uses and location, spatial relationship, topography.
- Agricultural: Agricultural endeavors and specified industrial uses, residential, ancillary accessory uses.
- Commercial: Industries in retail/service categories, non-noxious enterprises not industrial.
- Industrial: Uses not compatible with commercial areas and others
- Multiple Residential: duplexes, apartments, town houses etc.
- Open Space: Conservation lands, forest and water reserves,
natural/scientific preserves and potential natural hazard areas.
- Public Lands: Federal, State, County and University of Hawaii owned lands.
- Resort: Areas with basic amenities and attributes that attract development of visitor accommodations and related facilities.
The General Plan of Hawai`i County is under Section 3-15 of the County
of Hawai`i County Charter and is described as setting forth the
Council’s policy for long-range comprehensive physical development of
the county. The council is directed to enact zoning, subdivision, and
such other ordinances that shall contain the necessary provisions to
carry out the purpose of the general plan. The charter also directs
that 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 that amendments to the general plan may
be initiated by the council or the planning director.
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Islandwide Resources
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