CITY COUNCIL PLANNING AND THE ECONOMY COMMITTEE HEARS BILL 64 (2023) RELATING TO LAND USE ORDINANCE
HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI - On Thursday, Feb. 8 at 9 am, the Honolulu City Council’s Planning and the Economy Committee will hear Bill 64 (2023), formerly Bill 10 (2022), which seeks to update the City’s Land Use Ordinance (LUO) use regulations, including the master use table, specific use standards, and use definitions. These provisions regulate where and under what circumstances certain land use activities may occur. Bill 64 (2023), FD1 proposes significant changes to residential uses, which includes the following uses:
Household Living
Single unit dwelling (single family home)
Duplex-unit dwelling
Two-unit dwelling
Multi-unit dwelling (e.g. apartment buildings)
Group Living
Small
Large
Accessory Residential
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)
Home occupation
ʻOhana unit
Rooming
Council Vice Chair and Planning & the Economy Committee Chair Esther Kia‘āina has proposed amendments to Bill 64 (2023), which focus mostly on changes to the group living, multi-unit dwelling, and accessory ʻohana uses. Of particular focus is the expansion of residential uses in the business districts. Currently residential uses are generally not allowed, but Bill 64, FD1 proposes to allow multi-unit dwellings in the business districts in the Primary Urban Center and ‘Ewa development plan areas, which are set aside primarily for commercial and business activities, if requirements are met.
“In an attempt to accelerate development of housing to address the City’s housing crisis, I support allowing multi-unit dwellings in some business districts, but want to hear from my colleagues, the City’s Department of Planning and Permitting, and the public about what non-residential requirements should apply in these districts to strike the right balance to also ensure business districts still support commercial and business activities,” said Vice Chair Kia‘āina.
Additionally, she also anticipates discussing whether the committee is inclined to allow multi-use dwellings in the B-1 and B-2 districts in the Central Oʻahu Sustainable Communities Plan area.
You can find the relevant proposal on page 4 of the proposed amendments. You may also be interested in reviewing information provided by the Department of Planning and Permitting in Departmental Communication 583 from 2022.
For more information on Bill 64 (2023), please visit www.honolulucitycouncil.org/bill64.
Vice Chair Kiaʻāina represents City Council District 3, which includes ʻĀhuimanu, Heʻeia, Haʻikū, Kāneʻohe, Maunawili, Kailua, Olomana, Enchanted Lake and Waimānalo.
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