The Kaua‘i County Planning Commission yesterday listened sympathetically to Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura’s request for new goals for a consultant to follow in updating the comprehensive zoning ordinance — the second most important land use plan behind the county’s General Plan.
The Kaua‘i County Planning Commission yesterday listened sympathetically to Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura’s request for new goals for a consultant to follow in updating the comprehensive zoning ordinance — the second most important land use plan behind the county’s General Plan.
But the commission, which met at the Lihu‘e Civic Center, decided it was more prudent to move forward with spelled-out goals in a 1998 draft CZO plan developed by county planning director Ian Costa.
Presumably, a consultant about to sign a contract will use the goals to update the CZO for the first time since 1972, when it was approved.
Still, the commission left open the option for the council’s planning committee and Costa to go over what the consultant should work on.
The CZO, characterized as the “bible” for land use on Kaua‘i, could help determine whether runaway growth continues or whether more of the island’s rural character, along with agricultural lands, can be preserved.
The Honolulu-based consultant of Helber, Hastert and Fee — selected through a bidding process — is poised to sign the contract to update the CZO, Costa told the commission. The consultant has had extensive experience in developing similar land use plans for the City and County of Honolulu, Costa said.
The CZO is supposed to work hand-in-hand with the county General Plan, updated in 2000 following extensive community input, and sets out to preserve Kaua‘i’s rural lifestyle as one of its top goals.
While expressing thanks to the planning department and the commission for supporting good planning and their work in possibly getting the CZO approved in 18 months, Yukimura said a more pressing concern is “what the end product is going to be.”
Yukimura said the work should be first-rate, address the island’s unique land uses and provide for effective, long-range planning.
“Because if we make it really fast, and get a problem in front of us, and then (the CZO) is not done well, it doesn’t really resolve the issues we have been dealing with, then what good is it,” Yukimura asked.
She also said a prime concern is the consultant’s focus.
“To me, I would appreciate questions about what is covered,” she said. “What big issues are going to be addressed by the CZO update?”
Yukimura said the planning department has the responsibility of outlining its CZO goals to the consultant, with the council’s planning committee and the planning commission offering additional input.
Costa said there was no need to develop a new set of goals, as those spelled out in the draft CZO say it all.
“The scope of the work is to move forward with the draft CZO that we worked very hard on,” Costa said during a break in the meeting.
“I would be very curious as to why she never produced a draft in six years (she was mayor) and 24 years as a politician.”
Commissioner Larry Chaffin said proposals to have Costa provide new goals were misdirected.
To go along with them would smack of “micro-management” by the commission, a policy-making body, Chaffin said.
If people really want to ensure the consultant works in a manner acceptable to everyone, Chaffin said, the council planning committee, the commission and Costa all might need to brainstorm in a single room.
Yukimura said she recommended such a meeting when Costa became planning director. The purpose would have been to bring together Mayor Bryan Baptiste, the planning commission and the council to develop planning goals for Kaua‘i, Yukimura said.
Such a meeting never took place.
In order for such a meeting to be held now and held successfully, all the parties would have to come to the table with set goals, commissioner Sandi Kato-Klutke said.
“If we just sit together and we talk, we are going to be here for a whole year,” she said.
Yukimura also said hiring a full-time, in-house consultant in the planning department to oversee the updating of the CZO would help ensure good planning.
Each budget year, the council funds many planning department projects and the council can do the same in hiring an employee who would work with planners on land use issues on Kaua‘i.
Kaua‘i resident Elaine Dunbar said the council and the planning commission could “probably handle (updating the CZO) without hiring a consultant.”
“Who knows better (about the county’s planning needs) than everyone here,” said Dunbar, alluding to Yukimura, the planning commission and Costa.
Fellow Kauaian Ken Taylor said government officials and the consultant should solicit public comment to craft the best solutions.
“The more activity you get from the community, the better the long-range planning will be,” he said. “So keep that in mind.”
• Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@kauaipubco.com.
