Letter: FAR would hurt all homeowners

Gordon Pang’s article on monster homes failed to mention the unintended consequences of using a floor area ratio of 0.6, rather than the longstanding system of using 50 percent lot coverage (“Council to review ‘monster house’ criteria,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 12).

The public needs to be aware that all property owners would lose the ability to build or expand their homes by 40 percent. The proposed bill does not take into account the effect on additions, remodels or proper- ties with conditions common to Oahu, such as up/down slopes, flag lots, or irregularly shaped property.

We are all opposed to the building or conversion of homes that are intended to be illegal apartment buildings. But to restrict the right of all of Oahu’s families to build multi-generation homes or accessory dwelling units, or to devalue their property by denying them its full potential because of a few bad apples, is the wrong solution.

Current laws can be used to prevent and take out these monster homes that are operating illegally. Empowering the city Department of Planning and Permitting, law enforcement, and the Honolulu Fire Department is all that is needed.

Marshall Hickox

President-elect, Building Industry Association of Hawaii

Kaneohe

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