(a) Prior to action on a variance application, the authority shall hold a public hearing under chapter 91. By adoption of rules under chapter 91, the authority may delegate responsibility to the department. Public and private notice, including reasonable notice to abutting property owners and persons who have requested this notice, shall be provided, but a public hearing may be waived prior to action on a variance application for:

Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 205A-43.5

  • Agency: means any agency, board, commission, department, or officer of a county government or the state government, including the authority as defined in part II. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 205A-1
  • Authority: means the county planning commission, except in counties where the county planning commission is advisory only, in which case "authority" means the county council or such body as the council may by ordinance designate. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 205A-1
  • Department: means the planning department of the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii and the department of planning and permitting of the city and county of Honolulu, or other appropriate agency as designated by the county councils. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 205A-41
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, or partnership, and an organization or association, whether or not incorporated. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 205A-1
  • Shoreline: means the upper reaches of the wash of the waves, other than storm and seismic waves, at high tide during the season of the year in which the highest wash of the waves occurs, usually evidenced by the edge of vegetation growth, or the upper limit of debris left by the wash of the waves. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 205A-1
  • Structure: includes , but is not limited to, any portion of any building, pavement, road, pipe, flume, utility line, fence, groin, wall, or revetment. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 205A-41
(1) Stabilization of shoreline erosion by the moving of sand entirely on public lands;
(2) Protection of a legal structure or public facility, including any facility owned by a public utility that is regulated pursuant to chapter 269, that does not fix the shoreline, under an emergency authorization issued by the authority; provided that the structure or public facility is at risk of immediate damage from shoreline erosion and the authorization does not exceed three years;
(3) Other structures or activities; provided that no person or agency has requested a public hearing within twenty-five calendar days after public notice of the application; or
(4) Maintenance, repair, reconstruction, and minor additions or alterations of legal boating, maritime, or watersports recreational facilities, that result in little or no interference with natural shoreline processes.
(b) The authority shall either act on variance applications or, by adoption of rules under chapter 91, delegate the responsibility to the department.