Windward Planning Commission, May 6, 2026
Approves Favorable recommendation on Bill 126 - Downtown Pahoa Commercial special district code, 6-0
How this board votes
The Windward Planning Commission approved 70% of 20 recorded land-use decisions this period. Most frequent dissent: JoNelle Fukushima (1 of 17 recorded votes).
Parsed from the official meeting recordings. Verify against the official minutes.
See the full board record, member by memberWhat happened
The Windward Planning Commission (Hawaii County) forwarded favorable recommendations to the County Council on three Pahoa-related bills: Bill 126 (establishing the Downtown Pahoa Commercial special district zoning code), Bill 124 (rezoning map amendment from VC-10/RS-10 to DPC wi…
- Jurisdiction
- Hawaii County, HI
- Governing body
- Final authority
- Date
- May 6, 2026
- Decisions
- 9 zoning decisions
- Outcome
- Approved, 6-0
Projects in this meeting (3)
Each is its own project; some span multiple hearingsCase PL-SMA-2025-000083
Recommended 6-0Case PL-SMA-2025-000084
Recommended 6-0Favorable recommendation
Recommended 6-0Free sample: decision 1 of 9
Favorable recommendation on Bill 126 - Downtown Pahoa Commercial special district code
County Council-initiated Bill 126 amends Chapter 25 to establish the Downtown Pahoa Commercial (DPC) zoning district as a special district, adding new permitted uses (co-working/innovation hub, creative media space, cultural enterprise), a 30-foot height limit, 7,500 sq ft minimum building site area, 50-foot minimum width, no minimum yards except by plan approval, and no off-street parking requirements. Includes a voluntary opt-in mechanism. Commission forwarded a favorable recommendation with the planning director's proposed language. Passed 6-0, one absent/excused.
The other decisions are listed below by title. The full write-up, verbatim conditions, and the audio at each vote are in Pro.
Meeting Summary
The Windward Planning Commission (Hawaii County) forwarded favorable recommendations to the County Council on three Pahoa-related bills: Bill 126 (establishing the Downtown Pahoa Commercial special district zoning code), Bill 124 (rezoning map amendment from VC-10/RS-10 to DPC wi…
Key Decisions (9)
Favorable recommendation on Bill 126 - Downtown Pahoa Commercial special district code
Favorable recommendation on Bill 124 - Pahoa zone map amendment to DPC
Favorable recommendation on Bill 125 - Pahoa Village Design District updates
Grant of standing to Orchid Land Community Association in contested case (SPP 870 amendment)
Defer SPP 870 amendment contested case to a hearings officer
SMA use permit approval - Pueo Project educational and research facility
SMA use permit approval - single-family dwelling in Hawaiian Paradise Park
Special permit approval - four-bedroom bed and breakfast in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates
Defer discussion of proposed amendments to Planning Commission rules of practice
Development Activity (5)
Regional Trade Center (Special Permit 870 amendment)
Commercial
Pueo Project
Mixed-Use
Schrader single-family dwelling
Residential
Market Signals (4)
Infrastructure
Pahoa faces significant water, wastewater, and roadway capacity constraints; FEMA…
Commercial Demand
The county is creating a voluntary opt-in Downtown Pahoa Commercial…
Housing Demand
Rural Kau/Hawaiian Ocean View Estates (nearly 11,000 lots) shows demand…
Infrastructure
Longstanding road ownership defects in Orchid Land Estates (roads still…
Who Spoke (22)
On the record: the chair, a councilmember, 2 commissioners, 4 staff members, an attorney, 2 applicants, 3 applicant's representatives, and 2 members of the public.
Meeting Intelligence Preview
Ask this meeting anything
Ask who voted, what conditions passed, and what staff recommended for "Windward Planning Commission - 2026-05-06", with every answer cited to the transcript. Included with Pro.
Learn about Meeting Q&AGet every Hawaii County meeting with full decisions, votes, and zoning details, within hours of each session.
7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Just want to know when new Hawaii County meetings are posted? Get free email alerts below.
Follow Hawaii County
Get the agenda when a meeting is posted, plus decision and analysis alerts.
We'll email you an activation link — one click, no password, unsubscribe anytime.