Committee forwards amended Bill 60 to redefine "meeting facilities," limit home gatherings and tighten parking for special events

The Hawaii County Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use and Economic Development on Aug. 5 forwarded Bill 60, as amended, to the full County Council with a favorable recommendation after passing an amendment by a 7-0 vote. The measure would amend Chapter 25 (zoning) of the Hawaii County Code to replace existing rules for community buildings, churches, temples and synagogues with a unified definition of “meeting facility,” clarify what counts as a “special event,” and set parking requirements for events held indoors and outdoors.

Committee Chair Ashley Kirkwich said the amendment reflects extensive negotiations between the planning department, corporation counsel and members of the faith community to address concerns raised during prior meetings and public outreach. “There was a major commitment to getting concerns addressed by community members, and that is what we have done here, with this amendment,” Kirkwich said on the record.

The change responds to a zoning dispute that arose after a complaint in Kona and a subsequent investigation, Planning Director Jeff Darrow told the committee. That inquiry flagged an inconsistency in the existing code: churches in residential zones required a use permit while “meeting facilities” were permitted uses, creating potential disparate treatment. The bill combines the different use categories under a single “meeting facility” definition and adds provisions aimed at preventing that definition from being…