Bill > SB1334

This bill addresses a discrepancy between county and state land use classifications by allowing counties to more easily petition for changes to state land use district boundaries. Specifically, the bill enables county planning agencies to request amendments to land use districts covering areas larger than 15 acres, which was previously not allowed, in order to align these districts with their adopted general or development plans. The legislation recognizes that about 1.6% of Hawaii's total lands are currently situated within county-designated urban growth areas but are not officially classified as state urban districts. Under the new provisions, counties can petition to reclassify land use districts to better support their long-range planning goals, potentially streamlining development and housing production while also protecting agricultural lands. The bill modifies existing statutes to create a more flexible process for land use boundary amendments, requiring counties to notify the state land use commission of any changes and provide detailed documentation within 60 days of making a district boundary amendment. This change aims to create greater consistency between county-level land use planning and state-level land use classifications, making the overall land use process more efficient and responsive to local development needs.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1334&year=2026