For months an effort has been underway to overhaul the city’s land use ordinance via the use of Bill 10. If passed, that measure could impose large-scale impacts to such things as agricultural lands, wind farms, housing and the use of industrial and commercial spaces on Oahu.
To that end the Honolulu City Council’s Committee on Planning and the Economy will hold a series of hearings this year on Bill 10, the first of which is at 9 a.m. Thursday at City Council chambers.
The city’s Department of Planning and Permitting has been updating the land use ordinance, which directly affects agriculture, industry, business, residential and other forms of development on the island. The ordinance, introduced more than three decades ago, was adopted in phases. Bill 10, according to the city, represents the second phase and was introduced to replace, revise and update regulations in the land use ordinance.
As written, Honolulu’s ordinance is intended to encourage orderly development in line with the city’s general plan as well as its development and sustainable communities plans. The ordinance is supposed to promote and protect public health, safety and welfare and minimize adverse effects resulting from inappropriate location, use or design of sites and structures; conserve the city’s natural, historical and scenic resources; encourage design that enhances the city; and assist the public in identifying and understanding regulations affecting development and use of the land.
On Thursday the Council committee will focus on industrial uses. Future meetings will review commercial uses and then public, civic and institutional uses. Remaining uses to be considered at subsequent meetings will include residential, agricultural and miscellaneous uses, the city said.
“Bill 10 would substantially overhaul the city’s land use ordinance, the measure is lengthy and complex, and I want to ensure the Council members and members of the public have sufficient time to review and provide mana‘o on each land use category,” said Council Vice Chair Esther Kia‘aina in a written statement. “My hope is that by taking up the measure by land use category we will be able to have robust discussion on each category and achieve clarity and much needed transparency for the public.”
The Council’s planning and economy committee will work from a version of Bill 10 approved Oct. 20 by the Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee.
For more information about the meeting, visit honolulu.gov.
Get involved
>> What: First in a series of hearings on Bill 10
>> When: 9 a.m. Thursday
>> Where: City Council chambers
