Agricultural zone building permit

[TVfarm]

Dear all,

Thank you for letting us to join your community.
We pass through your different topics and we learnt a lot.

My partner Tracey just purchase a agricultural land in PAHOA in order to be a fruit and veggies farm.

We would like to put a shipping container on the land but after several research things are not clear.

Do we need a building permit or is that possible to get an exemption as a farm dwelling.
Half of the container will be a storage for the farm.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.

Mahalo,

Tracey & Vincent

Don't Worry Be Happy

[kalakoa]

The key word is "habitation".

Unpermitted utility structures on ag-zoned land can be up to 600 square feet; on 2 acres or more, larger limits may apply under State agricultural land-use rules.

If you want to live in it, the full permit-license-fee-inspection regime applies (licensed plumber/electrician, septic system, etc), and any non-conventional structure will need to be signed off by State-licensed engineers who are probably on Oahu.

Ag-zoned land generally allows primary dwelling "by right", there's no need to jump through the extra hoops for a "farm dwelling".

In many cases, if you can't be seen from the road and your neighbors don't care, you just kind of do whatever you want -- and this might be a better answer, no sense burning your life's savings before you know if it's going to work out. It may also make more sense to "camp" while establishing the trees, then go back and build the house while they mature to fruit-bearing age.

If you plan to seek forgiveness later, stay out of the setbacks; many other issues can be corrected with enough inspections, payment of fees, and lots of patience.

[Rob Tucker]

kalakoa,

There is no 2 acre minimum requirement for permit exempt accessory structures... if that is what you imply.

I have a CoH endorsed FAQ on my web site: www.modularfarmbuildings.com

[kalakoa]

Permit-exempt utility structures can be up to 1000 square feet on ag-zoned lots larger than 2 acres under the HRS 215 revisions from the 2012 legislative session.

Under these same revisions:

- a shipping container would be considered a "pre-engineered structure"

- a greenhouse or shadehouse requires no permits up to 5000 sqare feet

Plumbing/electrical still require permit-license-fee-inspection, although there is theoretically a lower bound that I have not yet explored.

[TVfarm]

Thank you Kalakoa and Rob.
We really appreciate your information.

The thing is we would like to transform half of the container to have a place to stay.
The land is provided by water and electricity.
We are in touch with an electrician to equipe the land. And looks like we need a building permit.

Do you know about the process to apply to an "owner-builder" permit?
Plan from a reconized architec?

mahalo

T & V

Don't Worry Be Happy

[terracore]

Do you have your lot picked out? Not all lots have sufficient soil for a fruit/veggie farm. You may have to get the lot ripped in order to grow fruit trees.

[Rob Tucker]

You need to be cautious when talking to the building and planning departments, they lie a lot. Make stuff up. Best to ask them questions in writing, by email for example, and get a written answer. That way you have a record. They are required to respond to a written inquiry in writing within 5 days I believe.

Its a bit slower in writing but they can really screw with you otherwise... and do.

Didn't use to be this way. Once upon a time the departments were actually helpful.

[TVfarm]

Thank you Rob,

We were in contact with the county and actually are waiting for an answer but to make sure we wanted your feedback.
Will let you know asap infotmation comes up.



Don't Worry Be Happy