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The County of Hawai'i is initiating a process to analyze, update, and amend the Zoning & Subdivision Codes (Chapters 25 and 23) of the 1983 Hawai'i County Code. The last comprehensive reviews were in 1996 and 1993, respectively. The purpose of the update is to implement updates to the general plan and various comprehensive development plans, provide for more predictability, increase consistency, incorporate best practices in land use and zoning, promote desirable and equitable development, and meet the needs of the Hawai'i Island community.

The County of Hawai'i is supported in this effort by a consultant team including Rundell Ernstberger Associates, Orion Planning and Design, and SSFM International. The process is expected to last approximately 18 months and will include several rounds of community engagement with virtual and in-person public meetings, focus groups, and online open houses.

The zoning and subdivision codes are the implementation mechanisms to implement the general plan and community development plans. Therefore, rewriting and updating these ordinances is important to facilitate growth and redevelopment. Your input will be critical to shape development in the County of Hawai'i and help us better understand how to use zoning to accomplish general plan goals.

There is a robust outreach strategy designed to involve stakeholders and the general public in the creation of the new ordinance. This strategy was developed in coordination with staff. The stakeholder engagement program utilizes the following guiding principles:

1. Clearly communicate the relevance of zoning regulations to the public and specific stakeholder groups.
2. Involve the community in envisioning the desired outcomes, identifying critical issues to address in the code update, and vetting potential recommendations.
3. Use visuals relevant to Hawai‘i Island to help people envision the potential impacts and outcomes of code changes and provide effective input.
4. Be transparent about possibilities and constraints, and about how stakeholder input will be used to inform the update.
5. Leverage the networks and outreach channels of agencies, elected officials, organizations, and other stakeholders to support community outreach and education.
6. Be communicative and responsive throughout the process, keeping people informed about project status and responding to inquiries and comments.
7. Document the input collected and make it visible to stakeholders.
8. Report back on how input was incorporated into the draft and final ordinance.

REA and Orion work seamlessly together on many ordinances as we are both small firms and this is very specialized work. Together, we are very experienced in national zoning best practices paired with an understanding of Hawai’i’s complex zoning and administrative rules. With our qualifications, knowledge, expertise, and your guidance, you can be assured of the best product and process, and a comprehensive team approach to your code rewrite that emphasizes true collaboration. SSFM will aid the efforts by facilitating public outreach and communication in hope to make work over international waters easier.