Revised Ordinances of Honolulu

APPENDIX A: OPEN SPACE, LAND USE, AND PUBLIC FACILITIES MAPS 0 The Ko’olau Loa Sustainable Communities Plan includes three color maps: * Open Space Map * Land Use Map * Public Facilities Map These maps illustrate the long-range vision of the future of the plan area and the major land use, open space, and public facility policies that are articulated in the plan. In examining them the reader should keep in mind that: · These maps are general and conceptual. · They are illustrative of the plan’s policy statements, presented in the text of this report. These policy statements, which appear in the preceding chapters, are considered to be the most important elements of the plan. The maps are considered illustrations of the policies. However, it is recognized that the maps may be more accessible and more interesting than the written policies. This section of the plan, therefore, presents a brief explanation of the contents of each of these maps. Elements common to each of the three maps include organizing boundaries and four land use designations: ”Preservation,” ”Agriculture,” ”Parks,” and ”Military.” They are presented below. Common information particular to each map is presented under each map topic. The maps which follow display Rural Community Boundaries, Agriculture Boundaries, and Preservation Boundaries. These maps are not parcel-specific, but illustrate generalized categories or group of land uses within the region. Because they are not parcel-specific, the lines depicted by these boundaries do not indicate precise or abrupt demarcations. Rather, the extent of permissible or appropriate uses within these boundaries should be evaluated and determined in concert with relevant sections of the plan’s text and specific site characteristics. Summary descriptions of each boundary category follow below. Rural Community Boundary The Rural Community Boundary defines, protects, and contains the intended extent of the ”built-up” or ”settled” areas of rural communities. Its purposes are to provide adequate lands to support established communities, to protect such communities from more intense forms of development, and to protect lands outside the boundary for agriculture or other resource or open space values. Areas within this boundary characteristically consist of relatively small, dispersed residential communities and towns. In Ko’olau Loa, the Rural Community Boundary includes the built areas of Kahuku, La’ie, Hau’ula, Punalu’u, Kahana, and Ka’a’awa. Agriculture Boundary The Agriculture Boundary is to protect important agriculture lands for their economic and open space values, and for their value in helping to give a region its identifiable character. The boundary is not displayed as a discreet boundary on the Open Space, Land Use and Public Facilities maps. It is implied rather, by the agricultural land use designations outside the Rural Community Boundary. They include agriculturally important lands designated by ALISH as ”Prime,” ”Unique,” or ”Other.” Preservation Boundary The primary purpose of the Preservation Boundary is to protect lands which are not valued primarily for agriculture, but which form an important part of a region’s open space fabric for their natural, cultural, or scenic resource values. The boundary generally circumscribes undeveloped lands outside the Rural Community and Agricultural Boundaries that are designated as Preservation on the Open Space, Land Use, and Public Facilities maps. Preservation Preservation lands include those lands not valued primarily for agriculture, but which form an important part of a region’s open space fabric. They possess natural, cultural, or scenic resource values, and include important wildlife habitat, cultural sites, significant landforms, views, or hazard areas. They include the following types of land: · Land necessary for protecting watersheds, water resources and water supplies. · Lands necessary for the conservation, preservation and enhancement of sites with scenic, historic, archeologic or ecologic significance. · Lands necessary for providing and preserving park lands, wilderness and beach reserves, and for conserving natural ecosystems of endemic plants, fish and wildlife, for forestry, and other related activities to these uses. · Lands having an elevation below the maximum inland line of the zone of wave action, and marine waters, fish ponds and tide pools of O’ahu unless otherwise designated on the land use map. · All offshore and outlying islands of O’ahu unless otherwise classified. · Lands with topography, soils, climate or other related environmental factors that may not be normally adaptable or presently needed for urban, rural or agricultural use. · Lands with general slopes of 20 percent or more which provide for open space amenities and/or scenic values. · Lands susceptible to floods and soil erosion, lands undergoing major erosion damage and requiring corrective attention by the State or Federal Government, and lands necessary to the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the public by reason of soil instability or the lands’ susceptibility to landslides and/or inundation by tsunami and flooding. · Lands used for national, state or city parks. · Lands suitable for growing of commercial timber, grazing, hunting, and recreation uses, including facilities accessory to such uses when said facilities are compatible with the natural physical environment. Agriculture Lands with agricultural value by virtue of current agricultural use or high value for future agricultural use, including those areas identified as Prime, Unique, or Other Important lands on the Agricultural Lands Important to the State of Hawai’i (ALISH) maps. ”Agriculture” includes lands suitable for crop growing, grazing and livestock raising, flower cultivation, nurseries, orchards, aquaculture, or similar activities. Parks Public and private parks and recreational facilities, including beach parks, playgrounds, playfields, district parks, botanical gardens, zoos, and golf courses. Military Lands for military and military support purposes. OPEN SPACE MAP The Open Space Map is intended to illustrate the region’s major open space patterns and resources as outlined in Chapter 3. It highlights major open space elements and resources, including agricultural and preservation lands, major recreational facilities, important ”panoramic” views, natural stream corridors and drainageways, and important boundaries. Ahupua’a boundaries, based on the traditional ahupua’a method of land organization, have been adopted for use and displayed in the plan as a method of organizing land uses and enhancing community definition within the region. LAND USE MAP This map illustrates the desired long-range land use pattern for the Ko’olau Loa region. It supports the plan’s vision and policies. The map includes the following terms: Rural Residential Single-family homes in country settings on medium-sized to large lots, on which rural development standards are employed and provisions for pedestrian circulation, landscaping, and open space are emphasized. Rural Residential also contains minor pockets of existing apartments in Punalu’u and the previously approved but unbuilt apartment district in La’ie. These apartment areas are not mapped but cited and elaborated on in the text. Country Town A small-scale, low-rise, mixed-use center of commerce and community activity in rural character and setting in which principal establishments are oriented on the street. Land use mixtures may include retail, office, and dining establishments, compatible service businesses and light industry, and residential uses. Commercial activity is concentrated along street frontages in typically ”Mainstreet” settings. Rural Regional Commercial Center A consolidated cluster of small-scale, low-rise retail, office, and dining establishments that serve the immediate and nearby communities. Its primary visual appearance is rural, pedestrian circulation and amenities are emphasized throughout the complex, and structures are compatible in scale and form with adjacent residential areas. While supermarkets are encouraged, ”big box” retail is not. Rural Community Commercial Center A small cluster of small-scale, low-rise commercial and service businesses which serve primarily the immediate community. Its primary visual appearance is rural. Buildings are generally compatible in scale and form with adjacent residential areas. Resort Principally full-service or specialty hotels and apartments, with accessory or supporting uses which enhance the viability of the principal use. Visitor Facilities Entertainment-oriented visitor attractions with no overnight accommodations. Technology Park High Tech Park is an area intended for light technology and science-oriented industries and businesses in a campus-like setting. Development intensity is low, while open space and landscaping are the predominant visual and physical elements. Industrial Facilities for processing, construction, manufacturing, transportation, wholesaling, storage, or similar economic activities, and supporting facilities which directly enhance their viability. Institutional Facilities for public use or benefit, including schools, churches, hospitals, group living establishments, utilities and infrastructure production or support facilities, civic, public, and social services facilities, and government facilities. PUBLIC FACILITIES MAP The Public Facilities Map illustrates major existing and future public facilities and privately owned facilities for public use. Its purpose is to display the public resources or assets available in the region. When the plan is adopted, a separate ”Public Infrastructure Map,” which will focus on and display facilities eligible for City Capital Improvements Program funding, will also be developed. For the Ko’olau Loa region, the following types of facilities are displayed: highways, major streets and bike routes; wastewater treatment facilities; elementary, intermediate and high schools; the city corporation yard; and Kahuku Hospital.