XIII. PLANNING DEPARTMENT
ROLE AND DUTIES
The Planning Department provides technical advice
to the Mayor, Planning Commission and County Council on all planning
and land use matters. The department is also charged with the
administration of the subdivision and zoning codes. The major
divisions of the department are:
Administrative Services
The Administrative Services division provides clerical
and accounting support services.
Ministerial Division
The Ministerial division has a number of responsibilities,
some of which include: Plan Approvals, plan reviews, subdivision
and lot consolidation, street naming, variances, building permits,
ohana dwelling permits, grading and grubbing permits, agreements,
planned unit developments (PUDs), cluster housing, Environmental
Impact Statement and Environmental Assessment reviews, sign permits,
occupancy permits, condominium property regime applications, Conservation
district use application reviews, Capital Improvements Program
review, agricultural dedication, violations inspection and code
enforcement. This division also provides administrative support
to the Board of Appeals and the County Arborist Committee.
Long Range Planning Division
The Long Range Planning division is responsible for
Legislative review and testimonies, General Plan Amendments, Code
and Rule amendments, community development plans, ordinances and
resolutions, the Land Use Inventory, consultant services contracts
and implementation of the Geographic Information System. This
division is also in charge of reviewing documents processed under
Chapter 343, HRS (EIS). This division also administers the County's
Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program, which is supported by the
State and Federal CZM Programs through federal and state funds.
The County's CZM Program processes Special Management Area (SMA)
Use Permit Assessment Applications and issues SMA Minor Use Permits,
implements the county's shoreline public access programs, and
participates in the development of various state CZM related programs
such as its non point source pollution and riparian area management
programs.
Planning Section
The Planning Section is responsible for staff support to the Planning Commission and the processing of several land use permits and approvals. These include: Use Permits, Special Management Area (SMA) Use Permits,
Geothermal Resource Permits, Special Permits, Shoreline
Setback Variances, State Land Use Boundary Amendments, rezonings,
General Plan Amendments, and reviews of Environmental Accessments
and Environmental Impact Statements.
West Hawaii Branch Office
The West Hawaii Planning Office conducts a variety
of assignments for plans and approvals in South Kohala and North
and South Kona. These include Plan Approvals, construction plans,
agreements, variances, grading and grubbing, inspection, sign
permits, SMA violations and shoreline setbacks, design review
for the Kailua Village Special District, and staff support for
the Kailua Village Design Commission, and Planning Commission
matters.
STAFF
The department has an effective staff of 25 and is
headed by the following:
Administrative Services Division Private Secretary Pat Koga
Ministerial Division Rodney Nakano
Long Range Planning Division Norman Hayashi
Planning Division Alice Kawaha (acting)
West Hawaii Planning Office Royden Yamasato
Boards, Commissions and Committees
The Department provides staff administrative support
to several appointed bodies, the foremost being the County Planning
Commission whose members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed
by the County Council and who represent all geographic areas of
the Island. The Planning Commission has decision making powers
for Use Permits, Special Permits, SMA Major Use permits, Shoreline
Setback Variances, Geothermal Resource Permits, and Appeals on
variances. The Commission makes recommendations to the County
Council on General Plan Amendments, rezonings, and State Land
Use District Boundary Amendments fifteen acres or less. Planning
Commissioners in the past fiscal year include: Kevin Balog (Chair),
Eddie Alonzo (1st Vice Chair), Leonard Tanaka (2nd Vice Chair),
Richard Baker, Edward Crook, William Crook, Mary Katayama, Melvin
Martinson and Lin McIntosh. Issac Fiesta and Wilton Wong served
as Planning Commission until the first half of the fiscal year.
The County Board of Appeals renders decisions on
appeals of actions of the Planning Director and the Planning Commission.
The Board of Appeals also hears appeals from the actions of the
Chief Engineer of the Department of Public Works, as well as reviews
variances from certain codes administered by the Chief Engineer
(i.e., Housing and Building Codes). Board members in the past
fiscal year include: Deanna Hammersley (Chair), Janet Fujioka
(Vice Chair), Geraldine Giffin, H.ÿPeter L'Orange, Mildred
Mosher, B. Jean Rivera and Stephanie Tabbada.
The Kailua Village Design Commission (KVDC) advises
the department on matters affecting development in Kailua Kona
and provides architectural and design review of proposed projects
in the Kailua Village Special District. Commissioners for FY 1995
'96 include: J. Curtis Tyler III (Chair), Fanny Au Hoy, Terry
Dunlap, Lyall Kuma, Greg Ogin, James Schleiger, Leimana Damate,
Diana Nui and Stephen Bobko Hillenaar.
The Arborist Advisory Committee makes recommendations
regarding the preservation and enhancement of exceptional trees
on the Island. Their members for FY 1995 '96 are: Lesley Hill
(Chair), Norman Bezona, Michael Kraus, David Tamura and Richard
Waller.
BUDGET
The Department's budget for Fiscal Year 1995 '96
was $1.49 million.
Actual Budget
1995 1996 1996 1997
Planning (County) $ 991,553 $1,264,515
Coastal Zone Management (State OSP) 172,741 236,087
$1,164,294 $1,500,602
ACTIVITIES
The Department is responsible for more than 25 land
use permits, reviews and approvals. The following Table compares
the activities of the past two fiscal years.
1994 '95 1995 '96
Building Permit (dwellings) Hilo: 2,032 1,823
Kona: 1,119 1,571
Ohana Permit New Applications 152 54
Extensions N/A N/A
Plan Approval Review 325 338
Farm Dwelling Notice (new) 267 392
Single Family Dwelling Notice (new) 12 98
Home Occupation Notice (new) 8 15
Subdivision New Applications 153 150
Consolidation New Applications 20 25
Complaints Hilo: 133 125
Kona: 66 51
1994 '95 1995 '96
Applications 1994 & 1995 (calendar years)
General Plan Amendment 1 0
Change of Zone 61 39
Special Permits 23 40
Use Permits 14 9
Special Management Area Major Permit 11 12
State Land Use Boundary Amendment 5 8
Other Miscellaneous Applications 30 39
Administrative Variances processed 72 92
Planned Unit Development (PUD) 4 4
SMA Minor Permit 17 19
SMA Use Permit Assessment Applications 72 84
Board of Appeals processed 12 24
Sign Permits (Kailua Special District) 52 16
Kailua Vill. Special District Appl. 22 10
TOTAL MEASURED ACTIVITIES 4,683 5,038
HIGHLIGHTS
A major continuing project of the past year was the
preparation of a public draft revision to the County's Zoning
Code prepared by Attorney Sandra Pechter Schutte who serves as
the county's consultant. Attorney/planner Roy Takemoto has been
hired to prepare a draft Subdivision Code update. The Zoning Code
draft is being reviewed by the County Council.
Another important project in the past fiscal year
was the County's initiation of a major State land use boundary
amendment petition to convert approximately 955+ acres of land
in the Kailua to Keauhou region from the Agricultural designation
to Urban. The purpose is to ensure sufficient lands for future
urban expansion to serve the needs of the West Hawaii community
and to plan for future infrastructure. The petition is pending
with the State Land Use Commission.
In the area of geothermal activities, the department
adopted its rule relating to Geothermal Relocation Program. The
Planning Commission also adopted its Geothermal Asset Fund rules.
The Kailua Village Master Plan produced for the department
by R.M. Towill Corporation is being reviewed by the County Council.
The draft of the Puna Community Development Plan prepared by Community
Management Association is also under review by the County Council.
A draft Roadway Plan developed by consultant Townscape, Inc.,
in conjunction with the Implementation Strategy for the Keahole
to Kailua Development Plan was also produced for the department.
The Planning Department routinely reviews applications for permits issued by other agencies. These agencies often route the following permit applications: Grubbing, Grading, Stockpiling; Certificate of Occupancy; Soil & Water Conservation Program; Horizontal Property Regime (HPR) Review; Taxicab; Gun; Liquor License; and Real Estate Sales Office.