HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.C.R. NO. 65 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION requesting the land use commission to coordinate with county planning commissions and county councils to conduct concurrent reviews of general plan AMENDMENTS, district boundary amendments, and zoning amendments when reclassifying land.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.C.R. NO. 65
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.C.R. NO.
65
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
requesting the land use commission to coordinate with county planning commissions and county councils to conduct concurrent reviews of general plan AMENDMENTS, district boundary amendments, and zoning amendments when reclassifying land.
WHEREAS, the Land Use Commission is responsible for classifying all lands in the State into urban, rural, agricultural, or conservation districts; and WHEREAS, the counties are responsible for overseeing planning and zoning under their respective general plans and zoning ordinances, which must align with and implement state land use districts; and WHEREAS, any significant change in land use requires a three-step process that involves: (1) A general plan amendment, which is a county-level process; (2) A state district boundary amendment, which is either a Land Use Commission process or, if the land in question is below a certain acreage threshold, a county-level process; and (3) A county zoning amendment, which is a county-level process to implement the updated general plan and land use district; and WHEREAS, under the existing land reclassification system, each amendment is processed separately and sequentially, resulting in multiple review periods and public hearings that can take months or even years to complete; and WHEREAS, this protracted review timeline poses challenges for landowners, businesses, and government agencies seeking to address housing, infrastructure, economic development, and environmental management needs in a timely manner; and WHEREAS, more efficient coordination and scheduling between the Land Use Commission, county planning commissions, and county councils will significantly expedite the overall land reclassification process, reduce redundancy, and improve public engagement by consolidating timelines where possible while still preserving the integrity and thoroughness of each review; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, that the Land Use Commission is requested to coordinate with each county planning commission and county council to conduct concurrent reviews of general plan amendments, district boundary amendments, and zoning amendments; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Land Use Commission, county planning commissions, and county councils are requested to ensure each decision is made in the appropriate sequence but scheduled as close together as practicable; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Land Use Commissions, county planning commissions, and county councils are requested to develop administrative protocols or memoranda of understanding to facilitate shared hearings, joint public comment opportunities, and synchronized timelines to reduce unnecessary delay and duplication of effort; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Land Use Commission; Director of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Mayors of the Counties of Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii and Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu; Chairpersons of the County Councils of Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii and the Chairperson of the Honolulu City Council; and Directors of the Departments of Planning of the Counties of Maui and Kauai, Planning Department of the County of Hawaii, and Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu. OFFERED BY: _____________________________
WHEREAS, the Land Use Commission is responsible for classifying all lands in the State into urban, rural, agricultural, or conservation districts; and
WHEREAS, the counties are responsible for overseeing planning and zoning under their respective general plans and zoning ordinances, which must align with and implement state land use districts; and
WHEREAS, any significant change in land use requires a three-step process that involves:
(1) A general plan amendment, which is a county-level process;
(2) A state district boundary amendment, which is either a Land Use Commission process or, if the land in question is below a certain acreage threshold, a county-level process; and
(3) A county zoning amendment, which is a county-level process to implement the updated general plan and land use district; and
WHEREAS, under the existing land reclassification system, each amendment is processed separately and sequentially, resulting in multiple review periods and public hearings that can take months or even years to complete; and
WHEREAS, this protracted review timeline poses challenges for landowners, businesses, and government agencies seeking to address housing, infrastructure, economic development, and environmental management needs in a timely manner; and
WHEREAS, more efficient coordination and scheduling between the Land Use Commission, county planning commissions, and county councils will significantly expedite the overall land reclassification process, reduce redundancy, and improve public engagement by consolidating timelines where possible while still preserving the integrity and thoroughness of each review; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, that the Land Use Commission is requested to coordinate with each county planning commission and county council to conduct concurrent reviews of general plan amendments, district boundary amendments, and zoning amendments; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Land Use Commission, county planning commissions, and county councils are requested to ensure each decision is made in the appropriate sequence but scheduled as close together as practicable; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Land Use Commissions, county planning commissions, and county councils are requested to develop administrative protocols or memoranda of understanding to facilitate shared hearings, joint public comment opportunities, and synchronized timelines to reduce unnecessary delay and duplication of effort; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Land Use Commission; Director of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Mayors of the Counties of Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii and Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu; Chairpersons of the County Councils of Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii and the Chairperson of the Honolulu City Council; and Directors of the Departments of Planning of the Counties of Maui and Kauai, Planning Department of the County of Hawaii, and Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu.
OFFERED BY: _____________________________
OFFERED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title: Land Use; Reclassification; Land Use Commission; Counties; Review
Report Title:
Land Use; Reclassification; Land Use Commission; Counties; Review