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August, 1976

From the President (Carol Whitesell)
Units - Topic: City Planning
We've Moved
Election Officiating
Thank You!
In Memoriam
Information on Unicameral Study
Coastal Zone Management
Planning: Agencies, Documents, and Definitions

Planning: Agencies, Documents, and Definitions

STATE PLANNING AGENCIES

(DPED) Department of Planning and Economic Development -- prepares plans and recommendations to meet State problems of growth and development.

(SLUC) State Land Use Commission -- classifies all lands into land use districts (zones) -- agriculture, rural, conservation, urban -- and amends district boundaries,

(DLNR) Department of Land and Natural Resources -- develops State-owned lands and controls natural resources within the State, such as forests, water resources, fish and game, minerals, etc., and administers the State conservation districts.

(DOT) Department of Transportation -- develops plans for State transportation and highways.

(OMPO) Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization -- a joint State and County planning body concerned with mass transit

(DOH) Department of Health -- makes up and enforces rules and regulations mandated by legislation to protect air and water quality.

Office of Environmental Control -- receives, reviews, and files Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) required for certain types of projects at beginning of planning.

(DOE) Department of Education -- as related to planning, checks whether or not school facilities for proposed developments are adequate and makes recommendations for school sites.

(DSSH) Department of Social Services and Housing -- administers the Hawaii Housing Authority, which is in charge of Hawaiian Home Lands and public housing.

STATE PLANNING DOCUMENTS

State General Plan -- written in 1961, not enacted into law.

General Plan Revision Program -- a continuing planning process beginning in 1967 in which goals and policies are established and reviewed. Includes "Growth Policies Plan" and "Energy Policies Plan," both dated 1974.

State Plan -- will recommend goals and policies to guide the State's future growth and development. Preliminary report to be issued in January 1977 and final report is scheduled for 1978.

SHORELINE PROTECTION

Legislation

(CZMA) Coastal Zone Management Act -- in 1972 the Federal government mandated the states to develop plans and actions to protect the coastal zone.

Shoreline Protection Act -- passed by the 1975 State legislatures this requires that>each county designate by December 1, 1975, an Interim Shoreline Protection District in which there will be interim controls pending implementation of the CZM Plan.

Interim Shoreline Protection District Ordinance (Oahu) -- sets up "special management area" (extending not less than 100 yards inland from the shoreline) to be administered and enforced under the provisions of this ordinance.

Definitions

Shoreline Setback -- a minimum zone of 20 to 40 feet along the shoreline established by the State Land Use Commission and adopted and controlled by the counties. (Not related to the 1975 Shoreline Management Areas.)

Shoreline -- the upper reaches of the wash of waves, other than storm or tidal waves.

CITY AND COUNTY PLANNING AGENCIES

City Council -- the legislative branch of the City and County government of Oahu, consisting of nine elected members, one from each regional district.

(CPC) City Planning Commission -- a citizens advisory commission consisting of nine members appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Council."

(DGP) Department of General Planning -- prepares General. Plan and revises it every five years, prepares development plans and reviews proposals for general plan changes, advises the Mayor and Council on planning problems and also conducts any studies requested by the Mayor.

(DLU) Department of Land Utilization prepares the Comprehensive Zoning Code (CZC), which is the City's zoning ordinance, and zoning. maps; handles all zoning changes, subdivision of land and special management areas..

(ZBA) Zoning Board of Appeals -- consists of five members appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council. Handles appeals and variances.

(BWS) Board of Water Supply -- must approve any General. Plan (GP) or zoning change. (DPW) •,Department of Public Works -- must approve any GP or zoning change:

(DPR) Department of Parks and Recreation -- must approve any GP or zoning. Change.

CITY AND COUNTY PLANNING DOCUMENTS

City Charter -- adopted in 1972; spells out planning requirements for Oahu.

(GP) General Plan -- adopted in 1964; outlines a set of written goals and objectives that deal with community needs and includes a map with land designated into twelve categories: agriculture, residential, apartment, resort, commercial, industrial, parks and recreation, public housing, military, cemetery, preservation, public facilities and utilities.

(DLUM) Detailed Land Use Map -- a detailed version .of the General Plan map.

Zoning Maps -- indicate the specific zoning for an area -- i.e., if an area is residential, the zoning map will specify whether it is R-2, R-3, or R-4. •

Subdivision Rules and Regulations regulates and controls the subdivision and consolidation of land.

(GPRP) General Plan Revision Program -- proposes a revised General Plan to be adopted by • the City Council by resolution. It shall set forth the City's broad policies for the long-range development of the city considering the social, economic, environmental, and design objectives.

(DP) Development Plans -- detailed schemes for specific areas which implement and accomplish the General Plan, to be adopted. by ordinance by the City Council.- It shall include a map, statements, of standards and principles with respect to land uses, and identification of areas, sites and structures.' It shall show where, when and what public facilities, such as road improvements and sewer lines, are to occur in a community.

(CZC) Comprehensive Zoning Code -- replaces the 1961 code as amended and is the zoning ordinance for the City and County of Honolulu.

CITY AND COUNTY DEFINITIONS

CZC Zoning Districts -- indicates the kind and intensity of use as follows (letter designates use, number usually indicates intensity of use or density):

Preservation (P-1, P-2)

Agriculture Ag-1, Ag-2

Residential R-1 to R-7

Apartment (A-1 to A-5)

Business (b-1 to B-5)

Industrial (I-1 to 1-3)

Hotel (H-1, H-2)

Planned Development PD-H - Planned Development Housing)

PD-R - Planned Development Residential)

PD-SC - Planned Development Shopping Center)

Planned Development provides for flexibility in the application of the zoning regulations to provide economy of shared service and facilities, promote a harmonious variety of uses and compatibility with surrounding environment for living, shopping and working.

Flood Hazard (FH)

Historical, Cultural and Scenic District (HCSD)

Each district created by the City Council has special restrictive regulations applying therein as to construction, alteration, repair or demolition of structures. If there is any conflict between the underlying zoning regulations and those imposed by the HCSD, the more restrictive apply. Presently there are three HCSD's: Diamond Head, Capitol, and Punchbowl.

Special Design District (SDD)

Special areas which will have significant potential effect upon the community, such as new satellite communities, under-utilized urban areas, areas adjoining natural open space, and areas of critical economic, social and physical concern. Presently there is one SDD -- Waikiki.

Spot Zoning -- the practice of granting variance or special zoning to small tracts in a haphazard, unwarranted way.

Appeals -- from the actions of the DLU; are made to the Board of Appeals, are to be sustained only if the Board finds that the Director based his action on an erroneous finding of a material fact, acted in an arbitrary or capricious manner, or had manifestly abused his discretion.

Variances -- a relaxation of the zoning ordinance (CZC) to grant relief from some detail of the rules (to correct an inequity) without changing the land use pattern established for the zone. "Unnecessary hardship" must be shown,

Accessory Use -- clearly incidental to and related to a principal use as allowed on the same lot or a contiguous lot in the same ownership.

Non-conforming Use -- a legal use of land or buildings existing prior to a zoning ordinance but not listed in the ordinance as a permitted use in the district in which it is located.

Transfer of Development Rights -- a relatively new zoning concept which allows a property owner to transfer a portion of his unused development rights to another piece of property.

Park Dedication Ordinance -- requires a subdivider of land, as a condition precedent to approval of his subdivision, to dedicate land or funds for park or playground purposes.

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