5.1 Dense Urban Area
The City and County of Honolulu has the highest density in urban areas among all Hawaii counties with 4,300 persons per square mile.153 The Primary Urban Center (PUC), defined by the
Department of Planning and Permitting, is intended to accommodate major growth in population into the future. See Figure 43.
Figure 43. Development Plans and Sustainable Communities Plan Areas for Oahu, HI. (Reproduced from
https://www.honolulu.gov/rep/site/ocs/roh/
SCP_DP_PrimaryUrbanCenter.pdf).
The Development Plan for the PUC includes policies to protect and enhance natural resource in more populated areas. It also includes provisions for parks and recreation areas so as to invite
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people and promote positive social interaction.154 The PUC Development Plan (DP) is a regional
plan intended to guide development decisions in support of population projection for Oahu’s most populated area, which includes several neighborhood Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) planning areas. This PUC DP includes, among others things, mixed use land and pedestrian and park improvements with streetscape and landscape improvements on routes that are connected to neighborhoods (e.g. broad promenades, pocket parks, and connected sidewalk network) as well as improvements to promote alternative modes of transportation including bus transit, pedestrian mobility, and bicycle use. 155
While there exist no remaining large open and developable land areas, the PUC area has vacant lots that can be designated to green spaces.156 The acquisition of additional park space in the
PUC area is constrained by high real estate values, as well as a limited number of vacant parcels that meet the city’s size requirements and exposure to external disturbances (e.g. noise level and increased crime) However, there are some incentives and innovative approaches to implement the acquisition of new recreational spaces in the PUC area. For example, the City and County of Honolulu can partner up with the State Department of Education (DOE) and private, nonprofit organizations to jointly use, develop, or improve recreational facilities. In addition, tax
contributions from the private sector can be optimized by park dedication to private vacant spaces.
5.2
Close to TOD Station
The criterion for site selection establishes that the site has to be in a residential walkable neighborhood to facilitate access to playgrounds. Transit-oriented development (TOD) refers to developments that are walking distance to a transit stop. TOD plan focuses on transforming the
154 Department of Planning and Permitting, City and County of Honolulu, “Primary Urban Center Development Plan,” State of Hawaii, May 2004: 24–30.,
http://www.honolulu.gov/rep/site/ocs/roh/SCP_DP_PrimaryUrbanCenter.pdf.
155 Ibid.
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areas around a rail station into walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods.157 Therefore, sites that are
within walking distance of the planned rail station are preferable. The TOD plan is to employ a ½- mile (2,600-foot) radius around each station to approximate a ten-minute walking distance. A ¼- mile (five-minute) walking distance is also defined to highlight the sites closest to the stations. The plan generally uses the ½-mile radius to address transportation improvements, urban design recommendations, and infrastructure needs. TOD is usually a mixed-used moderate to higher- density development that encourages walkability and the use of public transportation to reduce parking lots areas.158
5.3 Neighborhood Selection
According to the Kalihi TOD Development Plan the population around Kapalama, Kalihi and Middle Street is expected to increase by 34 percent by 2030.159 The Kalihi TOD plan addresses
land use, local transportation, economic, and infrastructure planning around all planed station for this predicted population grown. An inclusive amendment to Land Use Ordinance was adopted, by the city in 2008 to establish a framework for the development of the neighborhood TOD plans. It encourages public-private partnership when appropriate. The ordinance establishes that the TOD Plan should implement the objectives and policies of the Primary Urban Development Plan (PUC) Plan as well as community or master plans. To attain the plan goals, some amendments can be recommended by the TOD Plan to alter existing policies from the city; however, the TOD Plan should also respect and incorporate current polices.
After analyzing the TOD plan, I identified several neighborhoods in PUC area that will have increased land use density and are close to a planned rail station. Kalihi and Kapalama are
157 Department of Planning & Permitting, City and County of Honolulu, “Neighborhood TOD Plans: Kalihi,” City and County of Honolulu, https://www.honolulu.gov/tod/neighborhood-tod- plans/dpp-tod-kalihi.html.
158 Ibid. 159 Ibid.
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diverse residential and mixed-use neighborhoods. Both neighborhoods lack adequate green space for children to play. Children in other neighborhoods—within the PUC area—have easier access to the parks along the shore, which offsets the lack of green space in their neighborhoods. The shoreline in the Kalihi and Kapalama district is inaccessible due to industrial activities.
ArcGIS was utilized to identify information about existing schools in the Kalihi and Kapalama neighborhoods that are located close to rail stations. In addition, existing parks were identified in order to understand the need for green spaces for children to play in these neighborhoods. See Figure 44.
Figure 44. Kalihi and Kapalama existing fabric education and parks close to future rail stations.