Kaua‘i County Planning Department completes West Kaua‘i Community Plan

By Marie Williams, AICP

In December 2020, the West Kaua‘i Community Plan was adopted by the County Council. The plan was the outcome of a two-year process to update the Waimea-Kekaha and Hanapēpē-‘Ele‘ele development plans (both from the 1970s). The West Kaua‘i Community Plan sets land use policy and guides the development and planning of County infrastructure for the region. Assisting Planning Department staff were several sub-consultants, such as Opticos Design (form-based code), Fehr & Peers (transportation analysis), Group 70 (GIS mapping), and PBR-Hawaii (document production).

The West Kaua‘i Community Plan process launched in 2018 on the heels of the General Plan Update.

“Our first action was to invite community groups such as church groups; economic development boards; community associations; individuals; landowners; and other stakeholders of West Kaua‘i to small, informal “talk story” sessions,” said Leanora Kaiaokamalie, Long Range Planner.

“We asked what was happening in the community and listened to their visions for the future of the region. These talk story sessions shaped the community input process by identifying issues and opportunities in West Kaua‘i, and by helping us understand how to best engage the larger community in the plan process."

The process was guided by a focus group of community leaders and stakeholders. Most public meetings were held in the evening to accommodate commuters (dinner was always provided). More than 70 meetings/events were held to obtain input on the plan. This included open houses, small group meetings, focus group meetings, focused workshops, educational presentations, walk audits, school presentations, and open design studios.

The Planning Department employed innovative outreach strategies: a mobile outreach cart; “pop-up events;” youth essay and art contests; social media outreach; an interactive “Story Map;” and a website portal containing detailed information on the project.

Highlights of the final plan include:

• A focus on strengthening town cores and preserving the historic form and character of the buildings.
  
• Provides infill housing opportunities in buildings that are scaled for West Kaua‘i’s small towns.
  
• Plans for sea level rise now using the best available science (Sea Level Rise Exposure Area). Neighborhoods vulnerable to sea level rise are identified in the land use map.
  
• Calls for “safe routes” in all towns to promote multimodal transportation.
  

The plan also has a special focus on implementation. The Planning Department developed several accompanying implementation bills, including:

• Establishment of form-based code (via special planning areas) in all town centers to ensure infill development matches the desired historic character.
  
• A zoning overlay for the Port Allen Airport (Special Treatment – Public Facilities).
  
• Creation of two new zoning districts: 1) Special Treatment – Coastal Edge, a new district for all residential neighborhoods vulnerable to sea level rise that are located makai of a public road and 2) Plantation Camp, a new district for Kaumakani and Pakala Village so existing non-conforming historic structures can be rehabilitated.
  

For more information, visit www.westkauaiplan.org.