(Illustration courtesy 'O'oma Beachside Village)

MEDIA RELEASE

 

The mixed-use master plan for ‘O’oma Beachside Village, a proposed community on the Big Island’s North Kona coast, received the “2009 Outstanding Planning Award” Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009 from the Hawaii Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) at the luncheon of the annual Hawaii Congress of Planning Officials conference in Waikiki.

The APA Hawaii Awards Jury recognized the work of PBR Hawaii & Associates for its use of traditional neighborhood design in the master plan for ‘O’oma Beachside Village, citing the plan as a “visionary process for sustainable communities.”

“While we certainly appreciate the recognition from our peers, the real planners on this project were the people of Kona who developed the vision for ‘O’oma,” PBR President Tom Witten said. “We worked closely with stakeholders, from area residents to cultural descendants and regional leaders, to ensure the master plan not only incorporated the thoughts and needs of the community, but is also consistent with the Kona Community Development Plan.“

Hawaii County was also recognized with a 2009 Outstanding Planning Award at the HCPO conference for its Kona CDP.  The regional plan took three years of extensive outreach and planning to complete and was officially adopted last year as Kona’s blueprint for future development.

Plans for the O’oma Beachside Village master plan and the CDP emphasize shoreline setbacks, preservation of open space, and pedestrian-friendly public space.  

For example, the ‘O’oma master plan includes interconnected streets, a 1,000-foot shoreline setback, and a system of parks and open space representing a third of the project area.  

’O’oma has three areas — the residential village, along with the mauka and makai mixed-use villages. The two mixed-use villages will support neighborhood businesses and services within walking distance of homes to reduce vehicular traffic on regional roadways.

The annual Hawaii APA Awards are given to recognize individuals, communities, and organization whose work exemplifies the planning profession’s highest goals and ideals.  The awards program serves to raise public awareness of the benefits of good planning by showcasing significant contributions that planning practitioners, professionals and community groups make in Hawaii.

— Find out more:

APA Hawaii: www.hawaiiapa.org

‘O’oma Beachside Village: www.oomavillage.com

PBR Hawaii & Associates: www.pbrhawaii.com

Kona CDP: www.hcrc.info/community-planning/community-development-plans/kona/