Posted on: Thursday, December 5, 2002

Council adopts plan for Central O'ahu

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Honolulu City Council last night adopted a plan that would allow nearly 20,000 new homes to be built in Central O'ahu over the next 23 years.

The council voted 7-2 to approve the Central O'ahu Sustainable Communities Plan, which consists of policies, guidelines and conceptual schemes to guide growth in the area. The plan is intended to serve as a guide for more specific zoning maps and regulations.

The plan projects a population of about 173,000 for the region by 2025.

Voting against the plan were Steve Holmes and Duke Bainum. Gary Okino opposed a late amendment to the measure, but supported the overall plan.

The amendment extends the urban boundary of Central O'ahu to include 150 acres of agricultural land in the Royal Kunia development. Landowner Halekua Development Corp. plans to build 780 housing units on the land.

But Holmes objected to the late addition to the plan, which he said did not receive public scrutiny. He said the move was a misuse of the planning process.

Okino said the extension of the urban boundary into agricultural land sets a dangerous precedent and he fears further development of prime agricultural land.

"The inclusion of this acreage will open the door to incremental urbanization or urban sprawl in the mauka direction," Okino said. "It will create more conflicts between this new residential area and the agricultural land mauka of this."

But Central O'ahu Councilwoman Darrlyn Bunda said financing for a public elementary school in Royal Kunia is dependent on the 150 acres being included in the plan. She added that development of the 150 acres is "not a done deal" because Halekua Development must still receive state land use and city zoning approval for the homes.

Councilman John DeSoto said the council should give Halekua's Herbert Horita the opportunity to work with the city and community to develop a project that would meet the needs of everyone.

The council hearing began yesterday morning and continued late into the night. Other items that were to be voted on included a measure to ban the use of hand-held cellular phones while operating a vehicle; a proposal to grant a four-month lease extension to the company managing 1,875-acre Waimea Falls Park; and a bill to ban motorized scooters on public sidewalks and streets.