On August 5, 2021, Governor David Y. Ige issued an Emergency Proclamation, which continued suspension of certain laws related to the COVID-19 Response including the suspension of Hawai‘i Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 92, relating to Public Agency Meetings and Records (also known as the Sunshine Law).  HRS Chapter 92 was suspended to the extent necessary to enable boards to conduct business in-person or through remote technology without any board members or members of the public physically present in the same location. 

Until further notice, live-streamed Planning Commission meetings will continue via the county’s website at www.kauai.gov/Webcast-Meetings. Links and information will be provided on the Planning Commission website at: www.kauai.gov/BoardsandCommissions, through the “Planning Commission” tab.  In addition, the meetings of the Kaua‘i Planning Commission will be conducted as follows:

• Meetings will be noticed and posted pursuant to HRS Chapter 92.
• In-person meetings will be closed to the public to be consistent with social distancing practices.
• The meeting will be live streamed and also available as an archived meeting after completion at https://www.kauai.gov/Webcast-Meetings.
• Written testimony may be submitted on any agenda item and submitted to planningdepartment@kauai.gov or mailed to the Kauai County Planning Department,
  4444 Rice Street., Ste A473, Lihue, Hawaii 96766. Written testimony received by the Planning Department at least 24 hours prior to the meeting will be distributed to all Planning Commissioners prior to the meeting. Any testimony received after this time and up until the start of the meeting will be summarized by the Clerk of the Commission during the Planning Commission meeting and added to the record thereafter.
• Oral testimony will be taken during the public hearing portion of the meeting via the ZOOM technology platform. Anyone interested in providing oral testimony must provide a request to the Planning Department at least 24 hours prior to the meeting to planningdepartment@kauai.gov or by calling (808) 241-4050. Requests will not be allowed after that time. 
• You must register for the meeting to receive a ZOOM meeting link. At registration, you must include your name, telephone number, E-mail address, and the specific agenda item(s) that you will be testifying on.  Please register at least 1 hour prior to the meeting. Each registrant will receive a personalized meeting link once registered that cannot be shared.
  • It shall be the responsibility of the testifier to join the meeting through the ZOOM link provided by ZOOM via E-mail. In addition, it shall be the responsibility of the testifier to ensure that the ZOOM software is downloaded and operational prior to the meeting.
  • All testifiers’ audio and video will be disabled until it is your turn to testify.
  • Per the Planning Commission’s and Chair’s practice, there is three-minute time limit per testifier.
  • After providing oral testimony, testifiers should continue to watch the meeting via the live stream link found at www.kauai.gov/Webcast-Meetings.
• If any major and insurmountable technical difficulties are encountered during the meetings, the Planning Commission will continue all matters and reconvene at the next scheduled Planning Commission Meeting.
• Minutes of meetings will be completed pursuant to HRS Chapter 92 and posted to the Planning Commission’s website upon completion and approval.

If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, please contact the Planning Department at 241-4050 or planningdepartment@kauai.gov as soon as possible. Requests made as early as possible will allow adequate time to fulfill your request. Upon request, this notice is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille, or electronic copy.

Effective April 5, 2021:

Starting Monday, April 5, the Planning Department will reopen its front counter for walk-in services with no appointments necessary from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

In addition to walk-in service, front counter service appointments will still be available and strongly encouraged. To schedule an in-person appointment please visit the Planning Department’s appointment system at https://planningdepartment.setmore.com. 

The Planning Department is located in the Līhu‘e Civic Center Kapule Building, which will no longer require customers to answer health- and travel-related questions prior to entry starting April 5. 

Customers will still be required to undergo a temperature check before entering the building and social distancing guidelines will be enforced. Masks will still be required for entry and service. 

Additional updates to the Planning Department’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are as follows. 

• Applicants and members of the public are encouraged to contact the Planning Department at planningdepartment@kauai.gov or at 241-4050 to submit all zoning inquiries, including but not limited to zoning permit submittals, zoning determination requests, and zoning violation complaints. 
• All payments to the Planning Department, including but not limited to zoning applications, enforcement actions, and permit fees shall be: 
  1. Mailed to Planning Department, Kapule Building, 4444 Rice Street, Suite A473, Līhu‘e, Hawai‘i, 96766; or 
  2. Submitted through the Drop Box outside of the Kapule Building (the mail slot located outside of Real Property Tax Assessment Office); or 
  3. Submitted during a front counter visit. 
• Any payments that are submitted to the Planning Department shall be in an envelope clearly marked “Planning Department” and it shall have the respective zoning application number and/or Tax Map Key. 

The Planning Department is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday; except for State and Federal Holidays.

Effective: Monday, October 19, 2020

The Planning Department's front counter is now open to the public by appointment only.  The Planning Department's COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures continue to remain in effect.  All remote appointments must be made at least 24 hours in advance by visiting the Planning Department’s appointment system at:  https://planningdepartment.setmore.com.

Effective: 9/28/20:

From Monday, September 28, 2020 to Monday, October 19, 2020, the Planning Department’s front counter at the Kapule Building in the Līhu‘e Civic Center will be closed while the area undergoes construction.  During this period, services will be held remotely and by appointment only.  Therefore, the “Planning Dept. COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) – dated May 27, 2020” have been temporarily amended as follows: 

1. All applicants and members of the public must contact the Department at planningdepartment@kauai.gov or at 241-4050 to submit any zoning inquiries, including but not limited to zoning permit submittals, zoning determination requests, and zoning violation complaints.

1. A representative from the Department will return any phone or email message Monday through Thursday within 24 hours of receipt.

2. All payments to the Planning Department, including but not limited to zoning applications, enforcement actions, and permit fees shall be:

1. Mailed to “Planning Department, Kapule Building, 4444 Rice Street, Suite A473, Līhu‘e, Hawai‘i, 96766; or,
2. Submitted through the mail slot located outside of Real Property Tax Assessment Office, on the right-hand side of the Kapule Building.

Any payments that are submitted to the Planning Department shall be in an envelope clearly marked “Planning Department”, and it shall have the respective zoning application number and/or Tax Map Key.

3. From Monday, September 28, 2020 to Monday, October 19, 2020,  the Planning Department’s front counter at the Kapule Building in the Līhu‘e Civic Center will be CLOSED.  During this period, services will be held remotely and by appointment only.  All remote appointments must be made at least 24 hours in advance by visiting the Planning Department’s appointment system at:  https://planningdepartment.setmore.com.

Effective 5/27/20:

1.    In order to practice social distancing protocols, the Planning Department encourages applicants and members of the public to contact the Department at planningdepartment@kauai.gov or at 241-4050 to submit all zoning inquiries, including but not limited to zoning permit submittals, zoning determination requests, and zoning violation complaints.

2.    A representative from the Department will return any phone or email message Monday through Thursday within 24 hours of receipt.

3.    All payments to the Planning Department, including but not limited to zoning applications, enforcement actions, and permit fees shall be:

a.    Mailed to “Planning Department,, Kapule Building, 4444 Rice Street, Suite A473, Līhu‘e, Hawai‘i, 96766; or,

b.    Submitted through the mail slot located outside of Real Property Tax Assessment Office, on the right-hand side of the Kapule Building; or,

c.     Submitted during a scheduled front counter appointment.

4.    Any payments that are submitted to the Planning Department shall be in an envelope clearly marked “Planning Department”, and it shall have the respective zoning application number and/or Tax Map Key.

5.    Effective June 1, 2020, the Planning Department’s front counter at the Kapule Building in the Līhu‘e Civic Center will be open Monday through Thursday from 7:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Services will be by appointment only. Appointments must be made at least 24 hours in advance. To schedule an in-person appointment please visit the Planning Department’s appointment system at  https://planningdepartment.setmore.com.

Pursuant to the Governor's Seventh Supplementary Proclamation, the Uniform Information Practices Act and the Sunshine Law remain temporarily suspended in part, including all deadlines. To the extent the Planning Department has access to the records and redaction or substantial review of the records are not necessary, the Department will do its best to fulfill requests for information that are submitted to:  plankauai@kauai.gov.