PBR HAWAII prepared and processed a zoning “use” variance to enable Hukilau Foods to operate an aquaculture hatchery and nursery for moi within the Campbell Industrial Park on lands zoned I-2 Intensive Industrial. A zoning variance was required as aquaculture is not a permitted use in the I-2 intensive Industrial zoning district.
Hukilau Foods Inc. raises moi through their lifecycle; spawning moi and rearing larvae at a hatchery; nursing larvae and fry to fingerling size in tanks; growing juvenile moi to a marketable size in offshore cage-nets; and harvesting, processing, and marketing adult moi. Hukilau Foods hatchery and nursery operations are presently located at the Oceanic Institute at Makapu‘u Point. Fingerlings are transported from Makapu‘u Point to Kalaeloa Harbor for offshore transport, however, up to 15 percent of the fingerlings do not survive the overland transport due to stress from the long transport time. To reduce the fingerling mortality rate and consolidate operations, Hukilau Foods is proposing relocate the hatchery and nursery operations to a site within the State Department of Agriculture’s Kalaeloa Agricultural Park in Campbell Industrial Park.
The zoning variance application addresses the three legal hardship standards for variances including (1) why Hukilau Foods would be deprived of reasonable use of the land if the provisions of the zoning code were strictly enforced; (2) why the request is due to unique circumstances and does not question the reasonableness of the neighborhood zoning; and (3) why the request will not alter the essential character of the locality, nor be contrary to the intent and purpose of the zoning code.
