More than 40 percent of the area's residential development acreage is already zoned; the city crafted urban plans and agreements with those developers to ensure that builders provide the needed roads and other public facilities.

However, these individual agreements can't substitute for the broad view that acknowledges how separate neighborhoods affect each other. Second City dwellers can attest to that, having seen traffic-jammed 'Ewa residents cut through Kapolei to H-1.

That's why it's critical that this updated plan be implemented as soon as possible so that its provisions can guide the half of the development that remains. About 2,800 acres still require rezoning.

In addition, almost 1,600 acres are controlled by either the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands or the Hawai'i Community Development Authority. Both agencies can exempt themselves from city zoning and land use regulations. But clearly it's in the best interest of all the residents if these government agencies closely coordinate their planning, regardless. The council should seek alignments between state projects and the vision for 'Ewa communities in this plan.

The economic downturn may complicate progress on some developments for the short term. But the doldrums ultimately will ease and the council must ensure that the plan's guidelines are reflected in zoning decisions made when markets again drive projects to completion.