ÌìÃÀÊÓƵ

Overhauling land use ordinances is no easy task — complicated and bound to ruffle feathers.

As makes its way through the Honolulu City Council, we applaud council members for their leadership and willingness to ask important questions around how best to replace, revise and update Oahu’s land use regulations that impact a multitude of industries, including use standards and definitions that directly impact local agriculture.

For perspective, the last major update occurred decades ago, when cell phones were the size of bricks and the internet was in its infancy. Today, as we grapple with food security, sustainability, and an evolving economy, we can no longer afford to let decades-old definitions dictate how we use our precious island land.

As advocates for the agricultural community, we have been actively engaged in this multi-year process to share practical amendments that will allow farming and ranching to thrive.

Last year, a broad coalition of agricultural stakeholders convened to thoroughly review the bill — formerly Bill 10 (2023) — and provide consensus recommendations to the City Council. Our group included representatives from large and small crop farms, ranchers, agricultural associations, distilleries, state and county agencies, and nonprofit organizations. We met repeatedly for in-depth discussions on how best to adjust land use regulations to support diverse agricultural operations.

From those productive meetings, we have put forward a series of proposed changes to strengthen the bill’s provisions related to agriculture. Our recommendations aim to preserve accessibility and affordability of lands actively used for cultivation and livestock operations. At the same time, we’ve identified areas where reasonable revisions can provide more flexibility to complement farming with accessory uses.

One key improvement is to maintain a clear distinction that prohibits inappropriate use development from encroaching on prime agricultural lands zoned as AG-1 and AG-2. These inappropriate uses include Group Living Facilities in Residential Use, Meeting Facilities in Assembly Use, PreK-12 in Educational Use, and Child and Adult Daycare in Commercial Use. Allowing these non-agricultural uses in areas designated for crop production and ranching could lead to conflicts that eventually push out active farm tenants. We cannot abandon the core purpose of protecting agricultural-zoned lands for farming itself.

However, our group did agree that certain accessory uses should be permitted with the proper use standards. For example, we believe that agricultural operations that dedicate a majority of their farmable ag land to active production should be given the opportunity to pursue additional revenue streams such as farmers markets, agritourism, and farm stands.

Additionally, if the majority of farmable land remains in production, local producers should be allowed to support their operations with farm dwellings and farm worker housing. Striking a balanced approach that promotes agricultural production and accessory uses is critical for Oahu’s farming future.

As an island state, Hawaii remains heavily reliant on imported food and vulnerable to supply disruptions. By supporting local agriculture, we can build a more sustainable and resilient future. We believe it is truly a privilege to be on farm lands on Oahu and, as such, Bill 64 presents a genuine opportunity for the City and County of Honolulu to collaborate with local farmers and ranchers in updating the rules to deter land use abuse and find ways to directly support Oahu’s agricultural industry. 

We appreciate the City Council taking on this important issue and urge them to move forward on Bill 64 while incorporating the consensus recommendations developed by the agricultural stakeholder group. With pragmatic amendments, these land use ordinances can help protect farmlands, provide more operational flexibility, and uphold Oahu’s agricultural heritage for generations.

Brian Miyamoto is the executive director of the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau (hfbf.org), and Micah Munekata is the director of government affairs at Ulupono Initiative (ulupono.com).