Following up on this post. West Hawaii Times is reporting (free registration may be required) the County of Hawaii is one step away from putting to voters the question of whether to have two Planning Commissions. The County Council’s Planning Committee approved the measure, and the last step before it makes the ballot is the full council.
A source of controversy in the past, the HawaiiCounty Planning Commission makes recommendations to the County Councilregarding land use changes. However, it also possesses decision-makingpowers with use permits, special permits including those which regulateshoreline uses, geothermal permits and spaceport permits.
(I like that last bit about “spaceport permits.” Makes me want to apply for one.)
Maui County currently has three Planning Commisions, but as Jesse Souki has pointed out here and here there may be practical and legal problems with having more than one Commission, esp when it covers a single island.