Accessory Dwelling Unit: An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), also known as an Ohana Dwelling is a second dwelling unit permitted to be built as a separate or an attached unit on a building site, but does not include a guest house or a farm dwelling, as defined in the Hawaiʻi County Code. Action Committee: An Action Committee (AC) is a citizen-composed committee established for an adopted community development plan and administered by the Planning Department.Active transportation: Active transportation, also known as non-motorized transportation, refers to any way of getting from place to place that is powered by human energy, such as walking or cycling.Adaptation: Adaptation means the process of observing changes in social, environmental, and economic systems and adjusting operations to meet present and anticipated future needs.Affordable housing: Affordable housing consists of dwelling units which may be rented or purchased at cost levels which can be afforded by persons or families who are within the definition of "qualified households" and whose total household income is within the affordable housing income guidelines, as defined in the Hawaiʻi County Code.Agricultural parks: Agricultural parks are areas set aside by the State of Hawaiʻi, specifically for agricultural activities to encourage continuation or initiation of such agricultural operations. The State’s Agricultural Parks Program makes land available to small farmers at reasonable cost with long-term tenure.Agricultural-based commercial operations: Hawaiʻi County allows agricultural-based commercial operations on lands within the State Land Use Agricultural District. Agricultural-based commercial operations include:
• A roadside stand that is not an enclosed structure, owned and operated by a producer for the display and sale of agricultural products grown in Hawaiʻi and value-added products that were produced using agricultural products grown in Hawaiʻi.
• A farmers’ market, which is an outdoor market limited to producers selling agricultural products grown in Hawaiʻi and value-added products that were produced using agricultural products grown in Hawaiʻi.Agroforestry: Agroforestry is the intentional integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems to create environmental, economic, and social benefits.Aquaculture: Aquaculture is the production of aquatic plant or animal life for food or fiber within ponds and other bodies of water, as defined in the Hawaiʻi County Code.Biofuel: A biofuel is a fuel produced through contemporary biological processes, such as agriculture and anaerobic digestion. Biofuels can be derived directly from plants, or indirectly from agricultural, commercial, domestic, and/or industrial wastes.Biomass: Biomass includes plant material that is used for the production of such things as fuel alcohol and nonchemical fertilizers. Plant biomass can be used by power plants to produce thermal energy, then steam to generate electrical power.Biosphere Reserve Buffer Zone: A Biosphere Reserve Buffer Zone (BRBZ) is enacted either separately or as an overlay district for the Volcano area, to guide development within the region’s native forest through regulatory measures and economic incentives.Blighted areas: These are areas, whether they are improved or unimproved, in which conditions such as: the dilapidation, deterioration, age, or obsolescence of the buildings or improvements thereon; inadequate ventilation, light, sanitation, or open spaces, or other insanitary or unsafe conditions; high density of population and overcrowding; defective or inadequate street layout; faulty lot layout in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility, or usefulness; diversity of ownership; tax or special assessment delinquency exceeding the fair value of the land; defective or unusual conditions of title; improper subdivision or obsolete platting; existence of conditions which endanger life or property by fire or other causes; or any combination of these factors or conditions predominate, thus making the area an economic or social liability, or conducive to ill health, transmission of disease, infant mortality, juvenile delinquency, or crime, or otherwise detrimental to the public health, safety, morals, and welfare.Brownfield: A brownfield is an abandoned or underused site where redevelopment or reuse is complicated by the presence or perceived presence of contamination.Bulk regulations: These are standards that govern the provisions for lots based on housing type and by zoning district. Bulk regulations include:
• Height limit
• Minimum building site area
• Minimum building site average width
• Minimum yards
• Setbacks
• Floor area ratioCapital improvements: Capital improvements comprise of all forms of physical structures intended for long term use by the public and include roads, water and sewer systems, communication systems, flood control structures, other forms of infrastructure, and facilities such as active recreation areas and buildings, meeting rooms, public safety operation centers, government service centers and other structures supporting public activities.Capital improvements budget: The budget for capital improvements adopted by ordinance for the ensuing fiscal year.Capital Improvement Program: The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is a six-year program of planned capital improvements that sets forth what improvements will be funded, when each will be funded, and how much each will cost. It is provided to the Hawaiʻi County Council for information purposes for the ensuing six fiscal years. Cesspool: A cesspool is a buried chamber including but not limited to any metal tank, perforated concrete vault, or covered hollow or excavation, which receives or discharges sanitary sewage from a building sewer for the purpose of collecting solids or discharging liquids to the surrounding soil. Cesspools are not an approved method of sewage disposal under these regulations and all existing cesspools are substandard.Climate adaptation: Climate adaptation refers to actions that adjust to actual or expected future climate with the goal of reducing risks from the harmful effects of climate change and maximizing any potential benefit opportunities. Climate change: Climate change refers to shifts in average conditions, such as temperature and rainfall, in a region over a long period of time.Climate change impacts: Climate change impacts refer to the effect on social, economic, and environmental systems that are caused by human-driven climate change including, but not limited to, increases in natural disaster severity, unstable and extreme weather patterns, and loss of native ecosystems.Climate mitigation: Mitigation means actions and strategies aimed at reducing the risk of harm and damage to human communities, natural ecosystems, infrastructure, and the economy due to the impacts of climate change. These actions and strategies include but not be limited to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Coastal hazard area: Coastal hazard areas include tsunami inundation, sea level, rise, and special flood hazard areas.Coastal Zone Management Program: The Federal Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program was created through passage of the CZM Act of 1972. The Hawaiʻi Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program is a State program that was enacted to focus on a common focus for state and county actions dealing with land and water uses and activities. As the State's resource management policy umbrella, it is the guiding perspective for the design and implementation of allowable land and water uses and activities throughout the State. Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes Chapter 205A requires the legal and operational compliance with CZM objectives and policies.Coastal Zone Management Area: The Coastal Zone Management (CZM) area encompasses all lands of the State of Hawaiʻi and the area extending seaward from the shoreline to the limit of the State's police power and management authority, including the United States territorial sea.Collaborative biocultural stewardship: Collaborative biocultural stewardship represents an approach to sustainable development that emphasizes collaboration and partnership building among stakeholders and refers to the integration of cultural and natural resource management strategies to promote conservation, sustainability, and resilience.Community conservation areas: Community conservation areas are natural or modified ecosystems, including significant biodiversity, ecological services, and cultural values, voluntarily conserved by local communities through customary laws or other effective means.Community Development Plan: A Community Development Plan (CDP) is a regional community plan for a specific planning area, typically comprising, but not necessarily bounded by, one or more of the County’s judicial districts. Community-based food system: Networks of farms and food businesses that do business in order to build community health, wealth, connection, and capacity, as well as to sustain themselves financially.
Cottage industry: A small-scale industry that can be carried on at home generally by family members using their own equipment.Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a multidisciplinary approach of crime prevention that uses urban and architectural design and the management of built and natural environments. Critical Environmental Areas: Critical environmental areas include but are not limited to:
• Watershed and recharge areas
• Wildlife habitats (on land and in the ocean)
• Areas with endangered species of plants and wildlife
• Natural streams and water bodies
• Scenic and recreational shoreline resources
• Open space and natural areas
• Historic and cultural sites
• Areas particularly sensitive to reduction in water and air quality; and scenic resources
• Lands designated for acquisition by public agencies for conservation and natural resource protection
• Lands designated as Conservations in the SLU, Future Land Use maps, or Zoning maps
• Identified wetlandsCritical facilities: Critical facilities include public and private facilities that need to be operational during and after a hazard event to meet public health and safety needs, or to speed economic recovery.Critical habitat: A critical habitat is a specific geographic area(s) that contains features essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and that may require special management and protection. Critical habitat may include an area that is not currently occupied by the species but that will be needed for its recovery.Demand management: Transportation demand management, or demand management, is a defined set of strategies aimed at maximizing traveler choices. Development rights: Development rights are those to develop land by a land owner who maintains fee simple ownership over the land or by a party other than the owner who has obtained the rights to develop. Such rights usually are expressed in terms of density allowed under existing zoning. (See Transfer of Development Rights)Digital divide: The digital divide is the gap between those who have affordable access, skills, and support to effectively engage online and those who do not. As technology constantly evolves, the digital divide prevents equal participation and opportunity in all parts of life, disproportionately affecting people of color, indigenous peoples, households with low incomes, people with disabilities, people in rural areas, and older adults.Digital equity: Digital equity is the condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy. Digital equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services.Digital inclusion: Digital inclusion includes the activities necessary to ensure that all individuals and communities, including the most disadvantaged, have access to and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Five elements are critical:
1. Affordable, robust broadband internet service;
2. Internet-enabled devices that meet the needs of the user;
3. Access to digital literacy training;
4. Quality technical support; and
5. Applications and online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation and collaboration.
Digital inclusion must evolve as technology advances. Digital inclusion requires intentional strategies and investments to reduce and eliminate historical, institutional and structural barriers to access and use technology.Eco-industrial parks: Eco-industrial parks include a community of firms that exchange and make use of each other's byproducts.Ecosystem services: Ecosystem services include any positive benefit that wildlife or ecosystems provides to people. The benefits can be direct or indirect, small or large. Embodied carbon: In the building industry, embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas emissions arising from the lifecycle of building materials, including extraction, manufacturing, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal.Endemic species: Endemic species are those only found in a particular region and nowhere else in the world. They are of conservation concern because they are not widespread and may be confined to only one or two areas.Energy producer: An energy producer is any entity that produces energy of any kind, including (without limitation) gas or oil fueled, coal, nuclear, hydro, chemical reaction, electromagnetic, wave or tidal action, biofuels-based, geothermal and renewable energy production.Energy sustainability standards: Energy sustainability standards or certificates are voluntary guidelines used by producers, manufacturers, traders, retailers, and service providers to demonstrate their commitment to good environmental, social, ethical, and safety practices. (E.g., LEED)Environmental justice: Environmental justice means the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.Environmental stewardship: Environmental stewardship involves the responsible use and protection of the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices to enhance ecosystem resilience and human wellbeing.Equity: Equity means the consideration of cumulative impacts on lower- and middle-income individuals and historically marginalized groups during decision-making.Firm generation: Firm generation is energy available on demand, which can be adjusted as needed.Food insecurity: Food insecurity is defined as the "limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways."Functional classification: Functional classification describes the process by which streets and highways are grouped into classes or systems according to the character of service they are intended to provide.Functional Plan: A Functional Plan that is typically a public agency plan that addresses a specific need, program, or issue usually prepared by the agency responsible for implementation that may but is not required to be adopted by resolution.Gig economy: The gig economy is a labor market that relies heavily on temporary and part-time positions filled by independent contractors and freelancers rather than full-time permanent employees. This segment of the service economy often involves connecting clients and customers through an online platform. Goal: A goal is a desired state of affairs to which planned effort is directed.Green infrastructure: Green infrastructure uses vegetation, soils, and other elements and practices to restore some of the natural processes required to manage water and create healthier urban environments. Green infrastructure detains stormwater or directs it to engineered systems for infiltration or remediation at a slower rate before it enters groundwater, sewer systems, or aquatic or marine environments.Guideline: A guideline is a course of action that shall take precedence when addressing areas of statewide concern and should be followed, unless a determination is made that it is not the most desirable in a particular case; thus, a guideline may be deviated from without penalty or sanction.Harden: Hardening or harden refers to physically changing infrastructure or structures to make them less susceptible to damage from extreme wind, flooding, or flying debris. Hardening improves the durability and stability of facilities, making them better able to withstand the impacts of hurricanes and other natural events without sustaining major damage or losing functionality.High hazard area: High hazard areas include lots in volcano risk areas 1 and 2, as well as areas of historic lava flow, including the most recent 2018 KÄ«lauea eruption.High risk hazard areas: High risk hazard areas are within the Coastal High Hazard Area or Lava-Flow Hazard Zones 1 or 2. Historic District: A Historic District is a geographically definable area, urban or rural, possessing a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites, buildings, structures, or objects united by past events or aesthetically by plan or physical development. In addition, historic districts consist of contributing and non-contributing properties. Historic districts possess a concentration, linkage, or continuity of the other four types of properties. Objects, structures, buildings, and sites within a historic district are usually thematically linked by architectural style or designer, date of development, distinctive urban plan, and/or historic associations.
Under Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, Chapter 6E, a historic property is an object, district, structure, site, or building that is 50 years or older. Historic properties that meet the significance criteria and retain historic integrity may be eligible for, or listed to, the Hawaiʻi or National Register of Historic Places.Hosted: A transient accommodation with an operator residing onsite during rental operations.Hub-and-spoke: Hubs are a centralized location within a specific service area. The hub generally has various passenger amenities including information, shelter, benches, bicycle storage, restrooms, security, and lighting. The hubs are served by transit routes or "spokes", which are those localized routes providing neighborhood connections to the hubs.Impact fee: A fee levied on the developer or builder of a project by the County or other public agency as compensation for otherwise unmitigated impacts the project will probably produce.Impervious surface: Areas of any hard-surfaced, man-made area that do not readily absorb or retain water.Important Agricultural Lands: Enacted as Article XI, Section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi, the State is required to conserve and protect agricultural lands, promote diversified agriculture, increase agricultural self-sufficiency and assure the availability of agriculturally suitable lands. Important Agricultural Lands (IAL) means those lands that: (1) are capable of producing sustained high agricultural yields when treated and managed according to accepted farming methods and technology; (2) contribute to the State's economic base and produce agricultural commodities for export or local consumption; or (3) are needed to promote the expansion of agricultural activities and income for the future, even if currently not in production.Inclusionary zoning: A regulation which requires a minimum percentage of housing for low-income, and sometimes moderate-income, households in new housing developments.Incompatible development: Incompatible development, also called incompatible land use, is the transfer over a property line of negative economic or environmental effects.Infill development: Infill development means the development of vacant land or rehabilitation of existing structures in already urbanized areas where infrastructure and services are in place.Innovative housing: Innovative housing includes the efficient and creative use of spaces, features, and amenities both within the overall development and individual homes. Examples of innovative housing include factory-built homes and manufactured housing, modular and volumetric builds, panelized wall systems, accessory dwelling units (ADU), and alternatives to lumber and wood framing.Integrated resource plans: The identification of the resources or the mix of resources for meeting near and long term consumer energy needs in an efficient and reliable manner at the lowest reasonable cost including the need and timing of any new generation and new cross-island transmission lines. Interagency coordination: A program or project that requires collaboration among organizations, including those external to the County.Invasive species: Species that are both 1) harmful to the environment, economy, and/or human health, and 2) not native to Hawaiʻi. (I.e., species that were introduced by human assistance rather than by their own means of introduction).LSB: Detailed Land Classification is based on the Land Study Bureau of the University of Hawaiʻi's inventory and evaluation of the State's land resources. The Bureau grouped all lands in the State, except those in the urban district, into homogeneous units of land types; described their condition and environment; rated the land on its overall quality in terms of agricultural productivity; appraised its performance for selected alternative crops; and delineated the various land types and groupings based on soil properties and productive capabilities.Land Study Bureau (LSB): Detailed Land Classification is based on the Land Study Bureau of the University of Hawaiʻi's inventory and evaluation of the State's land resources. The Bureau grouped all lands in the State, except those in the urban district, into homogeneous units of land types; described their condition and environment; rated the land on its overall quality in terms of agricultural productivity; appraised its performance for selected alternative crops; and delineated the various land types and groupings based on soil properties and productive capabilities.Land use map: A map that graphically delineates the extent of land use types.Large development: The creation of 25 or more residential units, or commercial, industrial, or resort space of 30,000 square feet of gross floor area or any combination greater than 35,000 square feet of gross floor area. (See Development)Leachate: Formed when rain water filters through wastes placed in a landfill. When this liquid comes in contact with buried wastes, it leaches, or draws out, chemicals or constituents from those wastes. Level of service standard: A measure of the relationship between service capacity and service demand for public facilities.Low impact development best practices: Common examples of Low-Impact Development (LID) best practices include undisturbed pervious areas, vegetated filter strips, grass channels, rain gardens, edible landscapes, stormwater planters, dry wells, rainwater harvesting, bioretention areas, and dry swales.Low- to Moderate-Income: Low- to Moderate-Income families earn less than 80 percent of the area median income (AMI) for the County of Hawaiʻi, based on 2010 or 2020 Census data.Low-impact development: Low-Impact Development (LID) is a general term for a wide array of site planning principles and engineered treatment practices used to manage both water runoff volume and water quality. (See green infrastructure)
Planning for a Sustainable Future
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HideHawai'i 2045 General Plan
The General Plan 2045 Draft is now available for review. Please add your comments.
The County of Hawai‘i’s General Plan is the blueprint that guides the long-term development of Hawai‘i Island. It considers the needs of the entire island, and provides a sound growth strategy that directs future opportunities related to land use, zoning amendments and capital expenditures. The General Plan strives to position Hawai‘i Island for economic progress while preserving the environment and strengthening community foundations.
Land Acknowledgement: We wish to recognize and respect Kanaka Maoli people as the original and continuing stewards of the land known as Hawaiʻi County. Through the ahupua‘a system, Kanaka Maoli people managed the island’s waters and land for over a thousand years.
Acknowledging the land is an expression of gratitude to the territory that nurtures us and the host culture and people who have built a relationship with and understanding of the land. It is essential that the restoration and conservation of these traditional systems of knowing and ecological stewardship guide future decisions.
Introduction
Hawaiʻi Island is a community of rooted heritage, constant change, and unique beauty.
As our community navigates our future, integrating a sustainable balance between environmental stewardship, social and community equity, and economic sufficiency is paramount. We should be confident in our ability to meet our current needs and the needs of our future generations to come, ensuring that our keiki are able to stay here and raise their keiki. We must be ready, willing, and able to consistently pursue bold actions that address our challenges and help us arrive at a better future.
Steering our island in the right direction takes all of us. Setting the best path for our future relies on ensuring buy-in for solutions and accurately and collectively representing community sentiments.
Hawai’i Island is an exemplary leader with healthy and resilient communities that are built by sustainable development, a thriving and diversified local economy, and collaborative environmental stewardship.
The General Plan serves as a 25-year blueprint for the long-term growth and sustainable development of Hawaii County. It envisions a future that balances growth with the preservation of the county's unique cultural and natural resources. A sustainable future is not a distant dream but an attainable reality. A reality that can only be achieved through the powerful combination of government and community collaboration. The task ahead of us is substantial, and it calls for unity, vision, and unwavering dedication.
Purpose
- Guide county decision-making related to land use, development, and resource management.
- Inform residents, businesses, and stakeholders about the county's development priorities.
- Shape future legislative and funding decisions.
Key Themes and Goals
- Sustainable Growth & Development: Encourage growth in areas with existing infrastructure, while minimizing impacts on sensitive environments and agricultural lands.
- Cultural & Natural Resource Protection: Safeguard the county's unique cultural sites, traditions, and natural resources.
- Infrastructure: Enhance and maintain critical infrastructure including roads, public transit, water, and wastewater systems.
- Housing: Promote the development of affordable housing and support diverse housing types for all residents.
- Economic Development: Foster a diversified economy that offers a range of employment opportunities and supports local businesses.
- Public Health & Safety: Strengthen emergency preparedness and improve public health facilities and services.
- Recreation & Open Spaces: Develop parks and recreational facilities, and preserve open spaces for the enjoyment of residents and visitors.
Implementation Strategies
- Zoning & Land Use Regulations: Update regulations to align with the goals of the General Plan.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Collaborate with private entities to achieve mutual development and conservation objectives.
- Community Engagement: Continuously engage residents and stakeholders in the decision-making process.
- Investment: Prioritize funding for projects that align with the General Plan's vision and goals.
- Monitoring & Evaluation: Regularly review and assess the implementation of the plan to ensure its effectiveness and relevance.
Conclusion
The Hawaii County General Plan is a living document that reflects the aspirations and values of the community. Through careful planning and collaboration, the county seeks to create a sustainable, vibrant, and resilient future for all its residents.
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