Public input sought for O‘ahu General Plan Update
Late-afternoon meeting encourages greater participation
HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I — To help inform the Honolulu City Council’s review of the O‘ahu General Plan Update, (Resolution 21-23), the Zoning and Planning Committee invites community feedback during a special meeting starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 13. The later time was selected to accommodate residents’ requests for greater opportunity to remotely comment on the plan after normal business hours.
The General Plan sets high-level objectives and guiding policies for nearly every aspect of life on O‘ahu including economic goals, population distribution, environmental stewardship, community resilience, public safety and housing supply, among many others. The General Plan sets a framework for development and zoning decisions in individual Development and Sustainable Community Plans around the island, for City and County budgets and for functional plans for City agencies. The next expected update would be performed in 2031.
“We encourage O‘ahu residents to attend this special meeting, to give us their input and participate in the process to shape the future of the City and County of Honolulu. Along with reviewing the current proposal, we’ll also be considering amendments to the plan to ensure it reflects our current reality before the Council acts to adopt a new version,” said Councilmember Brandon Elefante, Chair of the Zoning and Planning Committee.
The Oʻahu General Plan is intended to be updated every 10 years and the version that will be reviewed at the July 13 special meeting has been years in the making. Multiple community meetings were held from 2011 to 2013 by the Department of Planning and Permitting, resulting in a proposed updated plan in 2017 that resulted in additional community briefings and feedback. The final step is for the Honolulu City Council to now review and adopt an updated version of the plan.
The special hearing on July 13 will not involve any decision making, but rather will provide an opportunity for community members to review the most recent versions and share their feedback. The original 2017 update and proposed amended versions can be found at the agenda link here: https://hnldoc.ehawaii.gov/hnldoc/document-download?id=11384
“This document is like a sailplan for our island—we can’t navigate to a safe, sustainable future unless we have a clear map and a vision to get there,” said Tommy Waters, chair and presiding officer of the Honolulu City Council. “This is what makes it so important for us, as your elected City Council, to hear from our islandwide community to make sure that we’re all pulling in the same direction.”
Action on the resolution can be tracked here: https://hnldoc.ehawaii.gov/hnldoc/measure/1736
Honolulu City Councilmember Brandon Elefante represents Council District 8 which includes Lower ʻAiea, Pearlridge, Waimalu, Newtown, Pearl City, Seaview, Crestview, Waipiʻo Gentry and Waipahū. He also serves as Chair of the Council Committee on Zoning and Planning.
Honolulu City Council Chair and Presiding Officer Tommy Waters represents Council District 4, which includes Hawaiʻi Kai, Kuliʻouʻou, Niu Valley, ʻĀina Haina, Wailupe, Wai‘alae Iki, Kalani Valley, Kāhala, Wilhelmina Rise, Kaimukī, portions of Kapahulu, Diamond Head, Black Point, Waikīkī and Ala Moana Beach Park. He also serves as Chair of the Council Committee on
Executive Management.
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