Waiʻanae Sustainable Communities Plan
Waiʻanae is an area of great physical beauty. The overall form of the landscape consists of white sand beaches along the coast, a narrow coastal plain, large valleys that extend from 3 to 5 miles inland, and the dramatically eroded, steep walls of the Waiʻanae Mountains. The major valleys that comprise the Wai’anae Plan area are Nānākuli, Lualualei, Waiʻanae, Mākaha, and Mākua.
- Waiʻanae Sustainable Communities Plan (2012)
Adopted on March 2, 2012 as Ordinance 12-3. The Waiʻanae Technical Report details the process and rationale behind the 2012 updates.
The last version of the WSCP was adopted in 2012 so the City is reaching out to the community to help update it! This comprehensive review will assess the appropriateness of the WSCP’s regional vision, policies, guidelines, and implementing actions, as well as its consistency with the City’s General Plan. Click here to learn more about the plan update and sign up to receive email updates.
Vision Statement
The vision for the future of the Wai‘anae District is that all members of our community – from the kūpuna (grandparents/elders) to the mo‘omo‘o (children, including those yet unborn) have their essential needs met.
We envision our physical environment as rural and pristine, protected from degradation so that we can enjoy her elements: the kai (salt waters), wai (fresh waters), ea (air, sky and heavens), ʻāina (land, soil), and all of the animate and inanimate aspects of nature which make up our home. We have access to our mountains, valleys, and sea. We have a variety of economic opportunities. Lastly and most importantly, our children are surrounded and guided by their strong, kind, and loving ʻohana (family).
Vision Elements
- Recognize the traditional ahupuaʻa of the Waiʻanae District and adapt the ahupuaʻa concept as a framework for land use and open space planning.
- Delineate the four major land use types: Preservation Lands, Agricultural Lands, Rural Community Areas, and Coastal Lands.
- Restrict coastal urban, suburban, or resort development makai of Farrington Highway.
- Preserve all lands north of Kepuhi Point as open space lands.
- Preserve and restore streams and stream corridors.
- Preserve and protect cultural sites and cultural landscapes.
- Improve transportation systems within the District.
- Designate, plan, and develop Town Centers and Community Gathering Places for Waiʻanae, Nānākuli, Lualualei, and Mākaha.
- Develop and support community-based businesses.
- Government agencies should partner with community-based organizations in order to better manage Wai‘anae’s natural and cultural resources.
Shows general land use types, the Community Growth Boundary, and identifies town and commercial centers
Identifies existing and proposed multi-use paths, as well as wastewater treatment plants, police and fire stations, schools, and the PVT landfill
Public Infrastructure Map
The Public Infrastructure Map (PIM) identifies major public infrastructure projects within each of the development plan areas for the City and County of Honolulu as required under Section 4-8 of the Revised Ordinance of Honolulu (ROH). The PIM symbol shows the general location of a major public infrastructure project in a planning region, and is required prior to the appropriation of funds for land acquisition or construction. For more information, visit the PIM page.
- View the current Waiʻanae PIM
Special Area Plans
Special Area Plans give communities the opportunity to define the identity, function, organization, and character of their specific neighborhoods in accordance with the general planning framework provided by their area’s Development Plan or Sustainable Communities Plan. For more information, visit the Special Area Plans page.
Mākaha Special Area Plan (2009)
This plan seeks to balance preservation of the Mākaha Valley’s rural environment and character with the existing urban zoning, and provides guidance for future projects and actions. The project involved the creation of a partnering process through which major stakeholders can formulate an agreement for further cooperative actions. Also, the study presents a Mākaha Rural Development Concept addressing rural character, environmental protection, open space preservation, land use compatibility, and circulation.
Special Design Districts
Certain areas are designated as special districts for the purpose of restoration, preservation, redevelopment or rejuvenation. Guidelines regarding development protect and/or enhance the physical and visual aspects of an area for the benefit of the community as a whole.
No Special Design Districts are in Waiʻanae.
Transit-Oriented Development Neighborhood Plans
Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a pattern of different uses—housing, jobs, and services—surrounding a transit station that takes advantage of the convenience and affordability of transit. TOD neighborhoods will generally be about a five to 10-minute walk from a transit stop, which is considered to be a comfortable distance for pedestrians. The City’s neighborhood TOD plans recommend more intense uses immediately adjacent to the stations, with progressively lower-density development spreading outward. Visit the TOD website for more information.
No TOD neighborhood plans are in Waiʻanae.
Urban Design Plans
An urban design plan is typically required as a condition of a zone change approval for larger areas of land (master planned communities, large scale developments, etc.). The urban design plan provides a basic framework for site planning, land use, circulation and infrastructure. For more information, visit the Urban Design Plans page.