Wed., May 4, city council will hear Bill 27 for second reading, and return it to the Zoning Committee. Bill 27 proposes to create incentives for accessory dwelling unit (ADU) production by temporarily exempting ADUs from certain fees and to permanently exempt ADUs from the requirement to provide or dedicate land for park and playground purposes. The bill also proposes waiving permit fees for grading and grubbing related to ADU development and requires the Department of Planning and Permitting to approve or deny an ADU permit request within 30 days.
The ADU initiative is purported to provide approximately 20,000 new rental units into the housing supply. The fact that only a handful of ADUs have been permitted since then is an indication that there needs to be more thought given to the time and cost required to ensure that these types of housing initiatives will succeed. Oahu will need more than 24,000 additional housing units to address demand, so building more homes is essential. While Bill 27 proposes waiving certain waste treatment fees, sewer capacity and other infrastructure still must be addressed.
