Issue Position: Zoning and Environmental Protections

Issue Position

Zoning and environmental laws make sure that development keeps the character of small towns and doesn't damage our land and water resources.

If we didn't have these laws, developers would build as dense and as high as possible. Traffic congestion would get worse because developers wouldn't have to include traffic relief in their projects.

If we didn't have these laws, developers would build large hotels in small towns and increase tourism operations in our neighborhoods.

If we didn't have these laws, development could be placed near shore lands and waters with little concern about impacts to ocean resources, beach access and water quality.

The Legislature spent the last two years bypassing these laws to allow rampant and unregulated development for favored insiders.

This year Senate Bills 755 and 2927 proposed rampant development that ignores zoning and environmental protections.

Last year they created the Public Lands Development Corporation that allows fast-tracked development on state lands.

The current Senator for Kailua, Hawaii Kai and Waimanalo voted for all these bills. Thanks to her support, most of them are now law.

The same legislature is promising to come back next year to pass the development bills the public opposed this year.

We need new Senators in the legislature who will stand up for the public interest and oppose this type of insider dealing from day one.

If elected, I will stand in opposition to any effort to fast-track development and bypass zoning and environmental protections. I will alert you so you know what the Legislature is trying to do and can add your voices early, when it counts.

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