The Effect of Government Regulation on the Land Development Process: Two Case Studies

Growth and development were encouraged in Hawaii after World War II and particularly after Statehood. During the post-war period, there was an impetus for the expansion of Hawaii’s economy, an increasing demand for housing, and a belief that there existed a large amount of underdeveloped land. However, due to the rapid and piecemeal urbanization of agricultural land (agriculture was central to Hawaii’s economy) and the nationwide environmental movement of the late 1960s, there has recently been a weakening of support for development and a movement toward the implementation of land development controls. County controls such as general plans and zoning, have become more sophisticated. In addition, “development plans,” the newest form of county control, are being prepared for the major urban centers on Oahu. On the State level, a Land Use Law was enacted in 1961. This law established a nine-member Land Use Commission which was given the power to classify lands into four districts: Agriculture, Conservation, Rural, and Urban. In addition to the State Land Use Law, statues pertaining to land use such as the Coastal Zone Management Law and the Shoreline Setback Law, have recently been enacted