Posted on: Friday, November 22, 2002

Central O'ahu growth is reason for concern

Call it spot zoning on a grand scale. The City Council is developing a plan that allows enormous new growth in Central O'ahu — when the city's General Plan wisely intends future growth to be channeled toward the island's "second city."

Central O'ahu residents worry about proposals for some 9,000 new homes, mostly in Koa Ridge and Waiawa, in addition to 11,445 already authorized.

They are right to be concerned that these new subdivisions will swamp existing schools, roads and other infrastructure.

The central corridor, of course, has been a traffic horror story for years.

We're surprised that Councilman Gary Okino, chairman of the Planning Committee, seems to think it's the state's job to provide whatever infrastructure is needed for whatever housing the city approves.

He's got it backward; the city should not allow such housing to proceed without assurance that schools and roads will follow in a timely manner. And in some cases where that's not in the cards, perhaps the housing should be shelved.

Again, it's the city's job to insist that developers ensure the proper infrastructure.

It's also the city's job to ensure the success of its General Plan, and not undermine it by approving new subdivisions in Central O'ahu. If the council wants to abandon the General Plan, this is no way to do it.

The General Plan also calls for preservation of O'ahu's best agricultural land, which happens to be in Central O'ahu.

The council is expected to be stewards of the 'aina and shepherds of orderly growth, not development partners.