November 1984 Home   Newsletters

December 1984

January 1985

December General Meeting
President's Message (Dorothy Lum)
League Reviews Proposed Land Use Ordinance (Astrid Monson)
Aloha to 30-Year League Member
Honolulu League Looks at "Peace Action" (Dottie Gullicksen)
November 17 Budget Workshop Huge Success
What is the Alice Scott Memorial Fund?
Memos from the Honolulu Board
National Security Has the Following Publications for Nov/Dec '84
League Membership Update
Vote Counters (Arlene Ellis)
Voter Service (Nan Luter & Dorrie Marsh)
Congratulations to...
News-bits
Meetings: December 1984
Governor Declares Coast Week in Hawaii

League Reviews Proposed Land Use Ordinance

It took over seven years, but the "general revision of the zoning text" League first urged in April 1977 may finally become a reality.

In 1978 and '79 League played an active part in the adoption of Bills 48 and 84, which materially reduced permitted densities in apartment districts. 'Complete revision of the City Zoning Controls, however, had to wait several years until the island's eight Development Plans were in place.

During the past year, two League members were on an Advisory Committee Land Use Ordinance that would replace CZC in its entirety. On October 31, League President Dorothy Lum sent in a letter outlining our major comments on the draft and a number of suggestions for its revision as listed below:

AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS -

We supported the proposed strengthened controls to encourage continuation of productive farming in these districts and made several suggestions on farm dwelling clusters and minimum lot sizes.

COUNTRY & LIMITED INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS -

We suggested a number of measures to prevent abuse of the proposed country district or its proliferation in inappropriate areas. We also suggested that the kinds of manufacturing allowed in the proposed limited industrial districts be defined or made conditional uses, subject to special permit.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING -

We recommended a system of limited bonuses in the number of units and/ or the floor area allowed in certain low-density districts as incentives to the construction of significant proportions of housing affordable by families with incomes below 110% of the median.

DENSITY & OPEN SPACE IN APARTMENT DISTRICTS -

We strongly supported new provisions limiting the number of dwelling units permitted on lots of different sizes in different districts, and setting maximum percentages of the area of a lot which could be covered by buildings.

"GRANDFATHER" CLAUSE -

We supported a proposed provision that no permit required by the Land Use ordinance be granted, or application accepted if it is in conflict with a proposed zone change already initiated. We also supported Department of Land Utilization's recommendation that the county's Revised Ordinances be amended to include building permits in a similar provision.

League's letter also mentioned a number of other aspects of the draft that we approved, such as its briefer and clearer format and the inclusion of specific standards and requirements for conditional uses, clusters, planned developments, and other situations requiring discretionary action by DLU.

The draft LUO is being discussed by neighborhood community groups, also developers, land owners, architects., and others affected which potentially includes just about everybody on the island.

DLU is now considering the many comments and suggestions received and will be revising the draft for submission to the City Planning Commission for public hearing and review and ultimately to the City Council for public hearing, approval, and action by the Mayor.

Undoubtedly the incoming City administration will want to analyze the draft and make its own input, but it is too early to know what changes may be made or how much this will delay adoption of the new code.

Astrid Monson

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