10-09-2014, 09:42 AM
randomq,
I live in the area covered by the Hamakua CDP (even though I am in the South Hilo district), and I have a few good friends who have worked for years on the CDP and served on the organization that is steering it. So I can get questions answered, but do not profess to be entirely knowledgable. It is online though. All the CDP's are online under the County Planning sites.
As a matter of fact, there is a new subdivision proposal coming up, and there will be a community meeting tomorrow, Friday, where a member of the Planning Department will be present to explain what is and isn't allowed under the CDP and other related issues.
If anyone is interested in attending, let me know.
The general position of the Hamakua-Hilo CDP is to keep Hamakua Hamakua, that is rural. To not overburden what is already old infrastructure with new building that would strain the system. So yes, a new subdivision has to shoulder its weight in the community.
Above all, because Hamakua contains some of the best true agricultural land on the island, with 15 feet of soil as compared to mere inches in much of Puna, the CDP opposes taking "prime" agricultural lands permanently out of production by subdividing them through rezoning. The land is Ag-20, so subdividing into 20 acres wouldn't require rezoning, but would trigger infrastructure requirements.
There are many lots that are less than 20 acres, as they were existing kuleanas at the time that zoning first came to the island (I was told that prior to Statehood, the government did not have power to enact zoning?).
The huge tracts of land that did come under the 20 acre zoning were largely held by the sugar plantations, which then sold off some or all of their holdings when they closed up.
Much of the residential structure of Hamakua was based on the plantation camp model. The old camp areas already have small lots of around 5K sq feet, and are not expensive. But anyone wishing to move into an old camp area needs to understand that many of the residents there are old-timers and there is a huge bond between them. One can't expect to move in there and gentrify it or change the culture, or you will be most unpopular with the community. Mainland values not welcome.
Kathy
I live in the area covered by the Hamakua CDP (even though I am in the South Hilo district), and I have a few good friends who have worked for years on the CDP and served on the organization that is steering it. So I can get questions answered, but do not profess to be entirely knowledgable. It is online though. All the CDP's are online under the County Planning sites.
As a matter of fact, there is a new subdivision proposal coming up, and there will be a community meeting tomorrow, Friday, where a member of the Planning Department will be present to explain what is and isn't allowed under the CDP and other related issues.
If anyone is interested in attending, let me know.
The general position of the Hamakua-Hilo CDP is to keep Hamakua Hamakua, that is rural. To not overburden what is already old infrastructure with new building that would strain the system. So yes, a new subdivision has to shoulder its weight in the community.
Above all, because Hamakua contains some of the best true agricultural land on the island, with 15 feet of soil as compared to mere inches in much of Puna, the CDP opposes taking "prime" agricultural lands permanently out of production by subdividing them through rezoning. The land is Ag-20, so subdividing into 20 acres wouldn't require rezoning, but would trigger infrastructure requirements.
There are many lots that are less than 20 acres, as they were existing kuleanas at the time that zoning first came to the island (I was told that prior to Statehood, the government did not have power to enact zoning?).
The huge tracts of land that did come under the 20 acre zoning were largely held by the sugar plantations, which then sold off some or all of their holdings when they closed up.
Much of the residential structure of Hamakua was based on the plantation camp model. The old camp areas already have small lots of around 5K sq feet, and are not expensive. But anyone wishing to move into an old camp area needs to understand that many of the residents there are old-timers and there is a huge bond between them. One can't expect to move in there and gentrify it or change the culture, or you will be most unpopular with the community. Mainland values not welcome.
Kathy