Pahoa design review committee: purpose and how it works

(a) The purpose of the Pāhoa design review committee is to provide local oversight and ensure that all buildings and exterior alterations within the PVD district comply with the Pāhoa Village Design Guidelines. (b) The Puna community development plan action committee shall invite one or more appropriate Pāhoa-based community organizations to form and provide administrative support for the Pāhoa design review committee. Committee membership should reflect a broad cross-section of the Pāhoa regional town center, with efforts to include professionals from the construction, small business, architecture and design industries. The Puna community development plan action committee shall verify and affirm the participation of each supporting organization and member of the committee every two years. (c) The committee shall review and submit recommendations on all applications for plan approval, a P.U.D. permit, or a sign permit in accordance with section 25-2-73, section 25-6-7, or chapter 3, article 3, of this Code, respectively. Committee recommendations to the director shall be consistent with the provisions of the County Charter, general plan, Puna community development plan, Pāhoa Village Design Guidelines, zoning and other related ordinances and any master plan adopted for the PVD district. UNOFFICIAL ADVANCE SHEET – Updated on August 5, 2026. Contains sec(s) affected since publication of Supp. 20 (7-2026). Official revision to be published in a subsequent republication of the County Code. ZONING § 25-7-42 (d) The director may waive the requirement for architectural and design review by the committee when the proposed improvements will clearly have little or no visual impact on the Hawai‘i plantation architectural theme, including, but not limited to: (1) Construction of accessory buildings or structures or minor exterior alterations to the exterior of any existing building or structure that is not visible from any street frontage of the building site; (2) Additions or replacements of accessory features such as flag poles, roof gutters and downspouts, railings and fencing of similar size, style and material or that more closely conforms to the design guidelines; (3) Painting or repainting of the exterior of any building, structure or accessory feature that is consistent with the design guidelines; or (4) Replacement of doors and windows, provided that the new size is within ten percent of the size of the original. (e) Upon request of prospective applicants, the committee shall provide preliminary review and comments on draft or conceptual plans prior to submittal of an application to the director. (f) The Pāhoa design review committee or the Puna community development plan action committee shall consult with one another before recommending any amendments to the PVD Guidelines or the PVD district boundaries. Any proposed amendments, along with the recommendations of both committees, shall be forwarded through the director to the council for its consideration, subject to the authority of the director under section 25-2-43 in the case of any PVD district boundary amendment. (g) Once every ten years, the Puna community development plan action committee shall invite all current and former organizations and members of the design review committee to review the Pāhoa Village Design Guidelines and the PVD district boundaries and submit recommendations thereon. Any recommendation accepted by the Puna community development plan action committee shall proceed as provided in subsection (f). (2015, ord 15-44, sec 4; am 2026, ord 26-56, sec 3.) 25-7-42 Division 5. Downtown Pāhoa Commercial District.