Posted on: Sunday, May 27, 2001

Editorial
Vision process shows desire for human scale

Mayor Jeremy Harris' "visioning" process, in which he puts money and some planning power into the hands of ordinary citizens around O'ahu, may be primarily a case of good politics.

But it has also, perhaps unexpectedly, created an opportunity to hear what Honolulu's citizens would do if they — not the professionals — were in charge.

The message is loud and clear: Recreational amenities, underground utilities, landscaping, small grace notes of urban design and trees, trees, trees.

Staff writer Mike Leidemann recently surveyed the ideas and dreams of 19 community vision groups and found a number of common themes. People want their neighborhoods to look good, to be distinctive and to be focused on the needs and pleasures of humans, not automobiles.

The pros might suggest that these ideas are not always the most efficient, or economically wise.

Wider sidewalks, for instance, may come at the cost of parking that is crucial to nearby businesses.

Underground utilities are a huge improvement to the appearance of the streetscape, but they may come at the cost of higher utility bills and considerable disruption during construction.

But there is more to development than efficiency and the economies of scale.

The outcome of this visioning process should be an instructive lesson to the planners, engineers and construction companies that have such a huge impact on the way our city looks and feels.

Above all, keep Honolulu's growth and development on a human scale.