Kaua‘i County has hired PBR Hawaii as a consultant to draft a plan aimed at helping Lihu‘e town remain Kaua‘i’s economic center in future years, Mayor Bryan Baptiste announced Friday. The plan that will be developed by PBR Hawai‘i and
Kaua‘i County has hired PBR Hawaii as a consultant to draft a plan aimed at helping Lihu‘e town remain Kaua‘i’s economic center in future years, Mayor Bryan Baptiste announced Friday.
The plan that will be developed by PBR Hawai‘i and the Kaua‘i County Planning Department will outline ways to provide urban renewal and revitalization of the core of Lihu‘e town.
PBR Hawai‘i, which specializes in land planning, landscape architecture and environmental studies, was awarded a $220,000 contract to draft the Lihue Town Urban Design Plan.
Whatever form Lihu‘e will take in the years ahead will probably dictate the island’s future growth, Mayor Bryan Baptiste told the media at his office at the Lihu‘e Civic Center Friday.
The Kaua‘i General Plan identifies Lihu‘e as the “heart” of Kaua‘i, Baptiste said.
“Most of the major industries and services are located in Lihu‘e,” Baptiste said in a statement. “A significant component of understanding and managing Kaua‘i’s future growth and development involves the building of Lihu‘e as the central service component for the entire island,” Baptiste said.
The plan should be completed by next summer.
Development of town core
A major thrust of the plan is to develop a theme for the town core, said Keith Nitta, a senior planner with the Kaua‘i Planning Department who attended the meeting. “We are trying to develop an overall theme for the plan,” Nitta said.
Another crucial part of the plan involves “looking at what it takes to implement the theme, and the process will determine what the theme is and how to implement it,” Nitta said.
In trying to identify the theme, the consultant and county planners are to address building designs, “streetscape” and vehicular and pedestrian flow through the town, Baptiste said.
Developing a theme is central to the survival of the town core of Lihu‘e, Nitta indicated.
In the past, emphasis had been given to building up the economic potential of the town core because of its closeness to commercial activity at the Lihu‘e Airport and Nawiliwili Harbor, he indicated.
But the momentum slowed with the opening of the Kukui Grove Shopping Center more than 20 years ago, leaving, in some cases, business folks undecided about where to establish their businesses, Nitta said.
Giving the core of Lihu‘e town its own identity could encourage more businesses to settle in the town, Nitta said.
“By giving the town more character, you might have more businesses come back to town,” Nitta said.
Nitta said he is hoping the two prime commercial areas can “complement each other” one day.
Baptiste said from his point of view, two full-functioning business areas would benefit the entire island.
Baptiste said it is not known whether the Lihu‘e town core will attract more professional services or whether Kukui Grove will continue to attract only retail stores.
“The process will dictate the outcome,” Baptiste said. “We don’t start with an outcome and put the process to meet the outcome.”
Nitta said the new plan is separate from any future effort to update the Lihue Development Plan, a large land use plan for the Lihu‘e area.
But having the two plans in place figures to greatly facilitate the smooth development of the Lihu‘e area, Nitta said.
In a statement, Deputy Planning Director Gary Hennigh said he foresees a planning process that will incorporate “many features of a special development plan.”
Those features include an “assessment of Lihu‘e’s current and projected socio-economic characteristics, land use and zoning issues, man-made infrastructure and physical environmental elements and historical and institutional considerations,” Hennigh said.
Revitalization of town
The forthcoming urban design plan for Lihu‘e also will consider recommendations put forth by residents who studied ways in recent years to revitalize Lihu‘e, Baptiste said.
Some residents voiced the need to reduce the flow of traffic on Rice and Hardy streets, and make more parts of Lihu‘e town more accessible by foot.
That way, government employees who work at the Lihu‘e Civic Center, the historic County Building, the State Building and the state court house and residents can get around town by foot, residents said.
More pedestrian traffic could result in more patronage of businesses, giving them an economic boost, residents said.
In a statement, Hennigh said the consultants and his staffers will look at “recent design concepts for renovating the Lihu‘e Civic Center as a major feature of a rejuvenated town area.”
Related “development assumptions” would include “a major downtown parking facility and the closing of ‘Eiwa Street.”
Closing the street off as a way to encourage more people to get out of their cars and get around Lihu‘e town by foot was considered by Kaua‘i County Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura when she was mayor from 1998 to 1994.
Former Mayor Maryanne Kusaka also looked at closing the street for similar purposes.
Mayor Baptiste said he wants the community involved in the development of the urban design plan for the Lihu‘e town core.
A citizens advisory committee will be appointed and its members will be drawn from community groups, businesses, special interest groups, government agencies and the public, Baptiste said.
The public will be “actively engaged” in the process as well, through the distribution of media information, selected interviews with key community “stakeholders” and public informational meetings.
“Throughout this process, we want community input and feedback,” Baptiste said in a statement. “We want Lihu‘e, the heart of Kaua‘i, to truly represent the ideas of the people.”
Hennigh said a report, which will be based on the plan, will be sent to the Kaua‘i County Planning Commission for review and possible adoption in the future.
In past years, PBR has been involved in various planning projects in Lihu‘e, including work at the Lihu‘e Civic Center, the Gateway beautification project by the Lihu‘e Airport.
PBR also has done work for Grove Farm Company, the largest developer in East Kaua‘i.
Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net
