Revised Ordinances of Honolulu(Link to original Word Processing Version)
The vision for the North Shore described in Chapter 2 will be implemented in part through
application of the general policies and principles for public facilities and infrastructure which
are presented in the following sections.
4.1 TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
4.1.1 Roadway Network
Minor arterials on the North Shore include Kaukonahua Road and Farrington Highway.
Kaukonahua Road is a narrow two-lane roadway which goes from Wahiawa north to
Thomson Corner and continues as Farrington Highway past Waialua and Mokuleia to
Kaena Point. Numerous local streets, including Haleiwa Road, Goodale Avenue, Waialua
Beach Road, and Pupukea Road, serve the rural residential communities.
Kamehameha Highway, except for the segment from Weed Junction to Haleiwa Beach
Park, the Farrington Highway, and Kaukonahua Road from Thomson Corner to Weed
Junction are under State jurisdiction. Except for existing cane haul roads, most of the
remaining streets in the North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan area are under City
and County of Honolulu jurisdiction.
The Oahu Regional Transportation Plan (November 1995) indicated that the morning peak-
hour traffic volume in the North Shore corridor is at an acceptable level and will continue
to be at an acceptable level in the year 2020. However, North Shore residents periodically
experience “bottleneck” traffic congestion at Waimea, and during the winter months,
Kamehameha Highway becomes congested as spectators travel slowly through the area
to observe the high surf. In addition, segments of Kamehameha Highway along the North
Shore are sometimes closed during periods of high surf and flooding when roads are
hazardous to travelers.
Planning and development of major roadways is the shared responsibility of the State
Department of Transportation (DOT) and the City Department of Transportation Services
(DTS). The planning and use of federal transportation funds is coordinated through the
Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OMPO), a joint City-State agency.
Other proposed projects for roadway improvements identified by the City DTS include
improvements to Kamehameha Highway, Haleiwa Road, Waialua Beach Road,
Kaukonahua Road, and Wilikina Drive.
4.1.2 Transit (Bus Service) System
The North Shore is serviced by four bus routes (see Table 4-1).
There are no plans to extend or expand the number of bus routes on the North Shore, but
the frequency and capacity will be increased by additions to the islandwide bus fleet. The
1994 Comprehensive Bus Facility and Equipment Requirements Study examined bus
system expansion and financing needs for the period 1994-2006. Assuming future
expansion of the islandwide bus fleet to 650 buses, the study showed an increase in buses
assigned to the Central Oahu/North Shore Service Area from 45 to 60, of which eight are
expected to be articulated (high capacity) buses.
. Bicycle Route. Any street or highway so designated, for the shared use of
bicycles and motor vehicles and/or pedestrians. Bike routes are of two
types: a widened curb lane in a urban-type area or a paved right shoulder in
a rural-type area.
4.1.4 Other Transportation Facilities
Harbors. The Haleiwa Boat Harbor is the only State-owned and operated recreational
boat harbor facility in the North Shore region. The facility is managed by the Department
of Land and Natural Resources. See Chapter 3, Parks and Recreation, for more
information.
The following are general policies for transportation systems on the North Shore.
. Retain Kamehameha Highway as a two-lane thoroughfare, to maintain the
North Shore's rural character. Provide roadway improvements to promote
pedestrian safety and traffic efficiency.
The following planning principles and guidelines relate to transportation systems for the
North Shore.
. Establish rural streetscape design and development standards within
residential areas consistent with the rural character of the region. These
could include narrower streets, more landscaping, and grassed swales in
place of sidewalks with curbs and gutters.
Several intermittent and perennial streams in the North Shore area provide wildlife habitats
and scenic, recreational, and cultural resources. Sedimentation as well as chemical and
biological contaminants affect stream water (surface water) quality. Chemical and
biological contaminants, as well as untreated sewage from leaking cesspools, also affect
groundwater quality. The polluted surface and groundwater eventually reach the ocean
and affect nearshore water quality. The quality of the North Shore's ground, surface, and
nearshore waters is vital for ensuring public health, providing outdoor recreation, sustaining
the integrity of ecological systems, and maintaining general environmental quality.
In 1987, the State enacted the Water Code (HRS Chapter 174C) in order to protect,
control, and regulate the use of the State's water resources. This Code is implemented
through the Hawaii Water Plan which addresses water conservation and supply issues on
a statewide level by incorporating county water plans and water-related project plans.
The Oahu Water Management Plan (OWMP), signed into law in 1990, is the City and
County of Honolulu's component of the Hawaii Water Plan. The OWMP sets forth
strategies to guide the State Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) in
planning and managing Oahu's water resources. These strategies conform to the General
Plan regional growth policy for the City and County of Honolulu.
Based on CWRM's 1996 basal permitted uses on Oahu for about 340 million gallons per
day (mgd), there are approximately 75 mgd
(See footnote 1) of untapped sustainable yield remaining in the
islandwide groundwater supply that could be developed.
On the North Shore, municipal water is primarily supplied by the BWS. Water demand in
the North Shore area for 1996 was approximately 2.7 mgd. It is projected that demands
for the area will increase to about 3.0 mgd by the year 2000 and 3.7 mgd by 2020. The
demand projections are based on the City and County population estimates for the year
2020. The water supply from existing and proposed wells on the North Shore is more than
adequate to meet current and future demand in the region.
A proposed 16-inch main along Kamehameha Highway from Pupukea to Sunset Beach
and the proposed Mokuleia and Kawaihapai Well are projects currently included in the
BWS's six-year capital improvement program (CIP) for FY1998 to FY2003. The CIP also
includes plans to improve the water quality of the Haleiwa and Waialua systems with the
installation of granulated activated carbon contact tanks to remove trace amounts of
pesticides from the water.
The BWS has a long-range plan to develop new water sources to meet islandwide
demand. This would utilize any surplus available sustainable yield resulting from the
transition of Waialua Sugar. Surplus sustainable yield is also available to support
diversified agriculture and municipal uses in the region. In the development of water
resources, it is important that the needs of the North Shore be met first, and that the
transmission of water out of the North Shore will not be detrimental to the North Shore. For
example, wetland farming of lotus root and taro requires a continuous clean fresh water
supply. Hence, the availability of North Shore water for the islandwide water supply needs
will first account for all in-district agricultural and municipal needs, while balancing the
environmental value of the area's stream systems.
Beyond the development of water systems to meet current demand, however, is the need
to conserve water resources for future demand. Water management strategies identified
in the OWMP include water conservation, groundwater development, surface water
development, desalination, and effluent water reuse.
The BWS is undertaking an integrated water resource planning process, utilizing
community involvement, to provide the next update of the OWMP. In addition to municipal
water demand, the update should include projected demand for agricultural, military, and
other nonmunicipal uses that utilize private sources.
. Protect and preserve the streams, wetlands' natural drainage systems,
watershed areas and the shoreline and coastal areas. The high quality of
the region's nearshore and coastal waters should be maintained to benefit
recreation, the economy, and the region's natural biological systems. Buffer
zones around streams and wetlands should be provided to protect the
ecological integrity of these features.
. Development and Allocation of Potable Water. While the State
Commission on Water Resource Management has final authority in all
matters regarding administration of the State Water Code, the Board of
Water Supply should coordinate development of potable water sources and
allocation of all potable water intended for urban use on Oahu. The Board
of Water Supply should certify that adequate potable and nonpotable water
is available before a new residential or commercial development is approved.
State and private well development projects should be integrated into and
made consistent with City water source development plans.
The majority of the homes in the North Shore area are served by individual cesspools and
septic tanks. The Paalaa Kai Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), a municipal facility
in Waialua, serves 314 homes in the Paalaa-Kai subdivision. Effluent from the facility is
discharged into injection wells. There are also 21 private treatment plants serving various
apartment complexes with effluent disposal into injection wells. Privately operated injection
wells are a convenient, long-term disposal alternative to the lack of a municipal sewage
collection and disposal system. However, the nature of injection wells and the common
lack of land space for replacement injection wells make them a costly and often unreliable
method of discharge.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement for Supplemental Waialua-Haleiwa Wastewater
Facility Plan of June 1996 states that:
. Approximately 40 percent of the cesspools in the Waialua-Haleiwa area have
failed and require pumping on a frequent basis.
While there are currently no funds to implement a centralized system, the City will continue
to work with the community to develop, implement, or facilitate appropriate, effective, andenvironmentally sound wastewater treatment systems that will not impact groundwater and
ocean resources. The City will be exploring various alternatives for providing small
regional wastewater treatment solutions in areas such as Haleiwa and Waialua.
The Pupukea-Sunset Beach area is not currently part of the City's Waialua-Haleiwa
Sewerage District, but should be included in future wastewater treatment plans in order to
protect the critical ocean environment in the area. Over the last few years, the State
Department of Health (DOH) has been slowly upgrading the individual cesspools to
individual wastewater treatment systems in an effort to eventually eliminate all cesspools.
All wastewater plans must conform to applicable provisions of the DOH's Administrative
Rules, Chapter 11-62, “Wastewater Systems”.
4.3.1 General Policies
The following general policies apply to wastewater treatment systems on the North Shore.
. Providing adequate public or private wastewater treatment facilities and
improving the existing wastewater management services on the North Shore
is the highest priority. Identify appropriate areas and technologies to provide
effective sewage treatment. However, the scale of these improvements
should be proportionate to the desired growth pattern.
. Beneficial Use of Reclaimed Water. Use reclaimed water for irrigation and
other uses, where feasible, in accordance with the requirements of the
Guidelines for the Treatment and Use of Reclaimed Water (November 22,
1993) by the State Department of Health and the No Pass Line established
by the Board of Water Supply. A “wetlands” treatment system could serve
as wild bird refuges that could also be used as a picnicking area and/or
children's fishing park.
The North Shore is served by Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) facilities, which include
subtransmission and distribution lines, as well as distribution substations. Power is
generated outside of the North Shore area through HECO power plants and NonUtility
Generators (independent power producers). Electrical power is then transported via
transmission lines and subtransmission lines to the Waialua, Waimea, and Kuilima sub-
stations. From these three substations, power is distributed to the North Shore community
through a system of distribution lines.
To provide better reliability of electrical service, mitigate existing low-voltage conditions;
and to meet the increasing future demands of the region, HECO is planning to upgrade
and construct additional facilities, including a proposed 46 kilovolt subtransmission line
mauka of Kamehameha Highway, connecting the Waialua Substation to the Kuilima
Substation.
Communications for HECO have become an increasingly important and integral part of the
island's energy delivery system. Fiber optics, mobile radio, microwave radio, packet radio,
and multiple address system (MAS) UHF radio links all improve operations, control, and
service of HECO's electrical system. As the energy system grows and as future
applications materialize in the areas of metering and customer communication, supervisory
control and data acquisition, and mobile communications, the need to control, service, and
monitor HECO's facilities becomes greater. HECO has immediate plans to improve the
mobile radio coverage with the upgrade of the existing Mokuleia communications site.
HECO's long-range plan is to further improve mobile radio communications, with the
adaption of mobile data, and completion of a microwave radio communications loop system
around the island of Oahu.
. Additions to utility systems and other public facilities should be located in
areas where they will least obstruct important views. Locate and design
system elements such as renewable electrical power facilities, substations,
communication sites, and transmission lines to avoid or mitigate any
potential adverse impacts on scenic and natural resources. Locating
powerlines underground or away from Kamehameha Highway is desired.
. Facility Routing and Siting Analysis. If any new or relocated electrical
power facilities, substations, communications sites, or transmission lines are
necessary, the selection of the route or site of such facilities should avoid or
mitigate any potential adverse impacts on scenic and natural resources.
Although these facilities are not shown on the Public Facilities Map, their
routes and sites are reviewed by administrative agencies of the City.
Littering and illegal dumping on agricultural lands and vacant lots is a chronic problem in
parts of the North Shore region. There is a shortage of regular maintenance crews to pick
up all the trash left on beaches, parks, and highways.
Solid waste collection and disposal systems on the North Shore consist of a City and
County-operated solid waste transfer facility at Kawailoa. Household refuse collection
services are provided by the City and County and private haulers. Municipal wastes are
primarily processed at the H-POWER facility or recycled. The Kawailoa Transfer Station,
located on Kawailoa Drive in Haleiwa, is an intermediate disposal site which accepts trash
from City collection vehicles, some private haulers, and small businesses. It also serves
as a convenience center for taking in and separating refuse delivered by householders.
Refuse generated by nonhouseholds is collected by private haulers and delivered to the
H-POWER facility. There is only one active landfill (Waimanalo Gulch) in the Ewa area
which accepts primarily noncombustible wastes. The Waimanalo Gulch landfill has a
remaining site life of less than five years under existing load levels. The City has instituted
recycling and other waste diversion programs in an effort to expand the useful life of this
landfill. The Dole Food Company maintains one solid waste dump for agricultural waste,
such as mud, rocks, and leafy trash. This dump is not available to the public.
The Integrated Solid Waste Management Act mandates the counties to develop a “master
plan” for solid waste management that consists of a wide array of management options
including source reduction, recycling, bioconversion/composting, incineration and
landfilling. The City's Solid Waste Management Plan outlines a comprehensive, unified
approach to such vital issues as landfill and disposal facility siting, expansion of existing
services and facilities, specialized waste disposal (e.g., batteries, tires, sewage sludge,
medical and hazardous wastes), waste reduction, and recycling strategies. There are no
plans to create additional convenience center, transfer station, or landfill operations on the
North Shore.
4.5.1 General Policies
The following general policy applies to solid waste handling and disposal in the North
Shore:
. As waste management and technological innovations occur, the North Shore
can and should play a part in the City's long-term efforts to establish more
efficient waste diversion and collection systems. However, since the region
is not expected to contribute significantly to future increases in Oahu's solid
waste management demands and does not contain sites suitable for the
processing or disposal of solid waste on an islandwide scale, it would be
inappropriate to consider any future landfills on the North Shore.
. Recycling Programs and Facilities. Promote the recycling of waste
materials by providing expanded collection facilities and services, and public
outreach and education programs. Encourage recycling of regional green
waste by establishing green waste facilities in an appropriate location,
possibly integrated with, or adjacent to the Refuse Transfer Station in
Kawailoa, on the North Shore.
Flooding is a recurring natural hazard facing the region. Flood hazard conditions occur
from storm runoff; channel overflows passing through lands stripped of vegetation or
pavements and other impervious materials; inadequate drainage facilities due to changing
drainage patterns from agricultural or urban development; clogging of natural drainage
channels or streams; undefined stream flow patterns; and isolated topographic
depressions.
The Federal Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) and the City's Plate 6 maps identify
many areas of the North Shore which are prone to flooding. All coastal areas in the North
Shore area are prone to flooding because of high surf, tsunami activity, and heavy mauka
stream flows. These areas are generally makai of Farrington Highway and Kamehameha
Highway. However, areas around large streams and gulches are also prone to flooding.
In general, existing storm water systems do not meet current City drainage standards.
4.6.1 General Policies
. Improve the drainage system in the region to provide adequate protection
from flooding. Encourage coordination between public agencies and private
landowners on needed drainage improvements and develop a phased plan
for improvements.
Planning principles and guidelines to guide the improvement and management of North
Shore drainage systems include:
. Retention and Detention. Public and private agencies should employ
methods of retaining or detaining storm water for gradual release as the
preferred strategy for management of storm water. Where feasible, any
open space, including parking lots, landscaped areas, mini and community
parks, and public and private golf courses should be used to detain or allow
ground infiltration of storm water flows to reduce their volume, their runoff
rates, and the amounts of sediment and pollutants transported.
Primary (K-6) and secondary (7-12) educational opportunities on the North Shore are
provided by the Department of Education (DOE) and individual private schools. At present,
there are four public schools in the North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan area: three
primary (K-6) schools and one combined intermediate (7-8) and high (9-12) school. Private
schools in the region include St. Michael's School (Preschool-8), Sunset Beach Christian
School (K-8), and the proposed Aloha Ke Akua High School. The current enrollment and
design enrollment (the number of pupils these schools are designed to accommodate) for
these schools are shown in Table 4-2.
Waialua Elementary is operating near capacity while other schools have more space to
accommodate additional students from the school's service boundary. Future residential
developments in the area will have an impact on the area schools. However, the DOE
currently does not project any new schools for the North Shore Sustainable Communities
Plan area. Temporary classrooms may be used to handle future enrollment increases at
the various schools.
Future projects pending legislative funding include expansion of the administration building
for Waialua Elementary School and an administration building for Sunset Beach
Elementary School.
The span of time between identification of the need for a new school and the actual
opening and operation of that school's first increment requires a minimum of five years with
additional time required for a high school. A series of steps are involved, including
securing funds from the legislature; assessing, selecting and acquiring the site; conducting
an environmental impact statement; developing a master plan; and designing and
constructing the new school. Decisions to build new schools are based on demonstrated
need, as reflected in actual and projected enrollment counts. This process, which is
generally reactive, is aggravated by the five-year development timetable. By the time a
new facility is established, the problems at existing facilities are acute, necessitating the
need for interim solutions.
For a new school site, the DOE will require 12 usable acres for an elementary school, 18
usable acres for an intermediate school, and 50 usable acres for a high school.
The cost of school construction and operation is high. Currently, the estimated
construction costs for an elementary school is in the range of $20 to $25 million.
Construction of an intermediate school is approximately $40 to $45 million, and for a high
school, $70 to $75 million. When land is not provided by the developer or the State, land
acquisition costs may add several hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost.
Operational costs for staffing are also high. Over a three-year period, the operational costs
for a typical elementary school may equal its developmental costs.
4.7.1 General Policies
General policies for school facilities are as follows:
. Approve new residential developments only after the State Department of
Education certifies that adequate school facilities, either at existing schools
or at new school sites, will be available when the development is completed.
The following principles should be followed in planning and operating schools in the North
Shore:
. Schools As Community Centers. Because of the difficult financial
problems for all sectors, new communities are likely to have fewer churches,
private social halls, and recreation facilities. As a result, schools may have
to assume important functions as cultural and recreational centers and as
meeting facilities. The State DOE should design school facilities to facilitate
community use during nonschool hours and weekends.
4.8.1 Police Protection
The North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan area is considered part of the Honolulu
Police Department's (HPD) District 2. District 2, which includes Wahiawa, is divided into
12 patrol beats. Beats are defined areas patrolled by one or more officers during the
course of a work shift with definitions based on geographic area, type of population, and
calls for police service. Approximately 5 or 6 officers are needed to staff one beat on a 24-
hour basis. Currently, there are four police beats covering the North Shore Sustainable
Communities Plan area. The HPD has estimated that an additional two beats will beneeded to serve the North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan area over the next 20
years.
According to HPD, there is no connection between the level of police service in an area
and the existence of police stations or substations in an area. Officers respond to scenes
from the road, not from the station. Thus, staffing, not facilities, determines police service.
HPD has stated that “it is far more important to put officers on the road where they can
protect our communities than to spend money acquiring, maintaining, and staffing
unneeded facilities.”
(See footnote 2) However, HPD would not object to office space being allotted as a
base for the beat officers, as long as there is no requirement for any “round the clock”
staffing, as it is costly to construct such a facility and maintain and staff such a facility for
24 hours, 7 days a week.
Police service for the Helemano Communications Unit is provided by federal authority, and
has little effect on HPD operations.
The Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) operates fire stations at Sunset Beach and Waialua-
Haleiwa. Fire protection service provided from the Sunset Beach and the Waialua Fire
Stations is adequate. The Fire Department's 20- to 25-year Capital Improvement Program
does not include any projects for the North Shore area. If communities expand or existing
areas are built upon, new facilities may be needed. Land acquisition for any future stations
will be dependent upon development timetables.
4.8.3 Ocean Safety
The Emergency Services Department, Ocean Safety Division, provides lifeguard service
for the following lifeguard towers on the North Shore: Sunset Beach, Ehukai, Ke Waena,
Waimea Bay, and Haleiwa Alii Beach. There are approximately 30 water safety officers
assigned to the North Shore. They conduct daily patrols from rescue crafts and also patrol
from Waimea Bay to Sunset Beach on all-terrain vehicles. The number of water safety
officers within the district will fluctuate seasonally, with more officers assigned to the area
during the high surf season in the winter and less during the summer months. It is noted
by Ocean Safety officials that rescue craft patrols will play a larger role in extending
lifeguard services in response to new or expanded beach parks in the region.
4.8.4 Civil Defense
The Civil Defense system for the City and County of Honolulu is the responsibility of the
Oahu Civil Defense Agency (OCDA). The OCDA is responsible for monitoring, warning,
evacuating and securing (if necessary) the vulnerable areas of the entire North Shore.
The North Shore is susceptible to natural hazards such as tsunami, tropical storms, and
hurricanes. In the event of these hazardous conditions, residents need to evacuate to
shelter facilities. There are two public shelter facilities for the North Shore Sustainable
Communities Plan area -- Waialua High and Intermediate School and Sunset Beach
Elementary School.
Flooding is the most common and recurring hazard. Under heavy, continuous rain and
flooding conditions, OCDA plans are in place to evacuate large portions of Haleiwa and
Waialua, if required, and include additional evacuation options in the event Wilson Dam
were to fail.
According to OCDA, planning for the area must include preparedness education and the
provision of adequate warning devices, adequate transportation routes for evacuee
movement, and suitable shelters where evacuees can seek refuge. The OCDA
recommends that any new public buildings such as schools and recreation centers be
required to consider emergency shelter capabilities as a secondary use of the building.
4.8.5 General Policies
General policies for all public safety facilities are as follows:
. Promote an integrated approach to public safety on the North Shore, which
will enable police, fire, ocean safety, civil defense, and emergency medical
efforts to share resources and information, as appropriate.
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