State Land Use System Review

From Hawaii Office of Planning, May, 2015

PREFACE:

In 2014, the State Office of Planning, on its own accord, initiated an examination of the State land use system with focus on the State’s land use district boundary amendment process. The review sought to explore what aspects of the current system work, and where in the process might greater efficiencies and effectiveness be achieved.

Although there are other components to land use management, the State’s land use system is important because it defines how Hawaii’s lands may be used—as agricultural, urban, conservation, or rural lands. For major development projects, the State land use district reclassification is often the first land use approval needed for the development.

Much has changed since the original Land Use Law was established in 1961, including the State’s population, housing and transportation needs, and the state of our natural and cultural resources.

Through a series of Task Force and public meetings, the Office of Planning has developed a planning framework and compiled a list of potential system improvements. These range from being relatively easy to implement, by fine tuning the existing system, to more complex solutions requiring a new or very different system. Appreciation is extended to Task Force representatives, other stakeholders, and the public across the State that have shared their thoughts and comments with the project team.

The preliminary set of suggestions require further research and analysis to better understand their cost, effectiveness, and implications, but they represent an important first step toward long-term change.

LINK: Full Text of Report