Promoting Mixed Use In Hawaii

"Honolulu Planning Director Eric Crispen suggested county officials consider allowing mixed commercial and residential uses in neighborhoods and moving away from "single-zoned" subdivisions, which will exacerbate traffic.

County Planing Director Ian Costa said business storefronts with dwellings built above them was a common sight in Kapa‘a town years ago. "It was a 24-hour presence there," he said. In those cases, the owners of the storefronts lived in the units above their businesses. Councilman Joe Munechika said he grew up in Hanapepe and remembered seeing "mom-and-pop" stores with dwellings built above them, and wondered why one doesn't see as many today."