What scenic corridors are and how they work

In the County of Hawai‘i, there are certain segments of public roads, or portions thereof, that expose traveling residents and visitors to notable and/or unique resources. As established by the national and/or state scenic byways program, the identification of these portions of public roads as scenic corridors is intended to provide for the enhancement of important scenic, historic, recreational, cultural and/or natural resources accessed from such a transportation corridor. This planning approach establishes the opportunity for continuity and/or enhancement of land uses and designs for natural, cultural, historic, recreational and/or scenic resources located along a transportation corridor and provides a diversity of regulatory and non-regulatory tools and techniques to apply to a variety of circumstances for a corridor identified by ordinance as a scenic corridor in the County of Hawai‘i. The Hawai‘i County council may, by ordinance, establish all or portions of public roadways and an appropriate portion of the adjacent property as a scenic corridor. Within such an area, all permitted uses defined by the underlying zoning classification will remain in place unless otherwise specified by the scenic corridor enabling ordinance. Any standards and conditions not included in the underlying zoning related, but not limited, to signage, lighting, design standards, access management, landscaping, parking, height, historic and cultural preservation, view planes, and/or setbacks must be included as part of the scenic corridor management plan and adopted by scenic corridor enabling ordinance by the County council. The scenic corridor management plan must demonstrate the need for the adoption of special standards and conditions in order to preserve, maintain, protect, or enhance the intrinsic character of the corridor consistent with the purposes of this chapter. (2007, ord 07-36, sec 1.)25-6-60