It's rare that opportunities like this one arise. Hawai'i residents are being asked to help redefine Kaka'ako — a slice of prime real estate nestled between Downtown Honolulu and Waikiki, an area rich in island history.

Helping to chart the right course for the area is the Hawai'i Community Development Authority, which is amending its plan for the mauka area of Kaka'ako and oversees the overall development of this prime location.

And while the overall plan includes projected growth in the area, endorsing "smart growth" will be key.

That means taking into account things that preserve our unique sense of place; consideration for the environment, including walkable plazas and pathways for transit modes other that cars; and balancing open space and ocean vistas with the need for density in our ever-growing urban core.

General Growth Properties, which plans to develop 60 prime acres within Kaka'ako, is looking for your input to help redefine its Ward Neighborhood Plan. The site is bordered by Queen Street, Ala Moana boulevard, Ohe Street and the end of Auahi Street.

Regardless of where you live on the island, this is an important opportunity to help shape what this section of Kaka'ako will look and feel like for generations to come.

Things are very much in flux. The HCDA is considering some rule changes to its existing Kaka'ako mauka-area plan, including reducing the height limit of buildings in some areas along Ala Moana to 200 feet, rather than the existing 400-foot maximum. Another proposed change would reduce the floor plate, or thickness of towers, to 9,000 square feet, nearly half the size of the existing 16,000-square-foot limit.

This, of course, is a consideration as GGP works to lock in its plan under existing rules.

Clearly density is key in our urban core. And it's in line with the urban neighborhood feel the HCDA wants to create with its "vertical neighborhoods" — a place where folks can live, work, play and learn.

But improving the area's overall infrastructure is crucial. Portions of the area's roads and sewers are already grappling with the chronic neglect of years past.

"The overall objective is that we produce a true neighborhood that benefits the community — a community in every sense of the word," said HCDA Executive Director Anthony Ching. "Public comment is essential to make sure that neighborhood fits with the community's vision. This needs to be a neighborhood that is reflective of Hawai'i and this particular area."

So now's your chance. Think about what matters most to you. Think about the need for density in the urban core. Think about what truly makes a neighborhood — then weigh in.