HILO — The public became the planners Tuesday evening, as more than 75 people pushed buttons to define what they want to see in Hawaii Island’s future.
HILO — The public became the planners Tuesday evening, as more than 75 people pushed buttons to define what they want to see in Hawaii Island’s future.
Conservation topped the list of concerns for those participating in the exercise, followed by the cost of housing and then traffic congestion. Coming in at the bottom were natural hazard avoidance and more stores, services and jobs near their homes.
That’s no surprise, considering the majority of those packing Hilo Council chambers are retired, followed by self-employed and working for nonprofits. The group was primarily 60 years and older who had lived most of their lives on the Big Island.
The exercise, where the audience voted with a little controller and the summed results were displayed on a screen at the front of the room, is part of the county’s update of the General Plan, the foundation document that dictates what can be developed where.
The process continues Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at council chambers in the West Hawaii Civic Center.
A lot has changed over the decade. But the General Plan has not.
The county Planning Department is trying to change that, working with a consultant to make the document more attuned to public priorities along with the realities of steady growth. The General Plan will set the foundation for public policy all the way to 2040.
“We’ve done a lot of background work. Now we need some input from the community to help focus our work,” said Senior Planner Ron Whitmore. “We’re here to share some information with you and get your feedback.”
Whitmore said the goal is to create “healthy, livable, sustainable communities.”
Public recommendations will be incorporated into the plan, with County Council adoption of the finished product in February.
The General Plan governs population density, urban design, infrastructure improvements, public access and preservation of natural resources and open spaces. It’s the policy document for the long-range comprehensive development of Hawaii Island.
As an example, by incorporating a study of what type of agriculture is productive in a particular area, lot size could be down-zoned in agricultural areas only to the extent it would still be feasible to support a specific crop, such as coffee. The majority of people in the audience approved that planning scheme.
Another way of looking at the General Plan, said County Planner Keola Childs, is to ask, “where do we grow from here?”
Currently, Hawaii County, with a population of about 195,000 people, has already zoned enough development to allow housing for 852,000 people, Childs said.
“We’re using less than a fourth of all the entitlements granted in zoning,” Childs said. “We have plenty of room to grow.”
The audience voted that improving services in underserved growth areas is more important than adding more affordable housing in existing villages and towns. Underserved areas in particular mentioned by the meeting facilitators are Puna and Ocean View.
The County Council has already weighed in on some aspects of the plan with three resolutions that were passed last year.
North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff added language that protection of natural and cultural resources is to be a foundation of all future planning decisions. Fellow council members Greggor Ilagan, of Puna, and Dennis “Fresh” Onishi, of Hilo, also submitted resolutions. Ilagan’s covers geothermal development, and Onishi’s pertains to South Hilo roadways.
Information about the General Plan and the amendment process is at https://www.cohplanningdept.com/general-plan/