SMART GROWTH DEVELOPMENT
As an attorney specializing in land use and construction, I understand the issues of development. Government has slated West Oahu to be the second urban growth boundary with Kapolei serving as the urban core. This means that development will occur in West Oahu whether we like it or not. As development is a reality for us, I am committed to smart growth development which encourages development that is environmentally, fiscally, and economically smart based upon ten basic principles:
- Creating a range of housing opportunities and choices;
- Creating walkable neighborhoods;
- Encouraging community and stakeholder collaboration;
- Fostering distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place;
- Making development decision predictable, fair and cost effective;
- Mixed land uses;
- Preserving open space, farmland, natural beauty and critical environmental areas;
- Providing a variety of transportation choices;
- Strengthening and directing development towards existing communities;
- Taking advantage of compact building design.
As chair of the 2007 Interim Committee On Smart Growth, I worked with over 70 representative stakeholders in Hawaii including county officials, landowners, developers, utilities, environmentalists, state agencies, schools, and realtors to draft smart growth legislation that would promote the principles of smart growth. I am proud that one of our smart growth bills, HB 2523 was signed into law this year as Act 026, which will require the land use commission to take into account county general plans when reclassifying lands. This legislation will create synergy between the Land Use Commission and the counties to ensure that the development slated for West Oahu will be done in accordance with the Ewa Development Plan. If re-elected as your state Representative, I will continue to introduce legislation pertaining to smart growth development because we only have one chance to get it right.
