Committee recommends updates to Pahoa Village Design District code

The Hawaii County Policy Committee on June 16 voted to send Bill 125 to the full County Council with a favorable recommendation, approving updates to the Pahoa Village Design District portion of the county zoning code.

Sponsor Councilmember Ashley Kirkowitz said Bill 125 modernizes the code to clarify how members are appointed to the Pahoa Design Review Committee and how property owners and developers should use the Pahoa Village Design (PVD) guidelines. "This is a simple measure to kind of create some housekeeping and clarity so that the information is available to members of the community," she told the committee.

Planning Director Jeff Darrow presented the bill's technical amendments, noting the measure would amend sections 25-7-40, 25-7-41 and 25-7-42 to clarify the district's purpose, applicability and boundaries; make the PVD guidelines adoptable and amendable by resolution; require the director to administer and enforce the guidelines with consideration of the Pahoa Design Review Committee; and extend applicability of the guidelines to renovations and alterations as well as new developments. Darrow said the Windward Planning Commission voted to send a favorable recommendation.

A Pahoa resident testifying remotely, Amadeo Markov, urged passage and said the community is still recovering from the 2018 eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic and needs the clarity provided by the bill. The committee then voted to recommend Bill 125 to Council with seven members in favor; two were excused.

Bill 125 now goes to the full Hawaii County Council for further consideration.