Land Use & Zoning

In Hawaii, which government entity has authority to reclassify land from agricultural to urban district?

AA. The county planning department only

BB. The Hawaii State Land Use Commission after a public hearing✓ Correct

CC. The state legislature by statute

DD. The landowner through a private petition to the county

Explanation

Only the State Land Use Commission can reclassify land between major districts (urban, rural, agricultural, conservation) through a formal petition and public hearing process.

People Also Study

Key Terms to Know

Zoning

Local government regulations that control land use by dividing areas into zones specifying permitted uses, building sizes, and densities.

Eminent Domain

The power of government to take private property for public use, with the requirement to pay the owner just compensation.

Variance

Official permission to use land in a way that does not conform to the applicable zoning ordinance, granted by a zoning board when strict enforcement would cause undue hardship.

Adverse Possession

A doctrine by which a person can gain legal title to another's land by openly, continuously, and adversely occupying it for a statutory period.