Local attorney Dan Orodenker is the new executive director of the state Land Use Commission, replacing Orlando "Dan" Davidson, who retired several weeks ago.

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism announced the commission’s appointment of Orodenker, who will lead the commission’s staff, which processes applications to reclassify land designated by the state for agriculture, conservation or urban use, among other functions.

The commission, which is governed by a nine-member board that renders decisions, recently issued a pair of historic decisions to approve development of 5,000 homes in Central Oahu and 11,750 homes in Ewa as part of the Koa Ridge and Ho‘opili projects, respectively.

Orodenker has a long history in Hawaii’s private sector and public service, as well as experience in the nonprofit and environmental arena.

"I am very sensitive to the issues on all sides of LUC dockets," he said in a statement. "My most immediate focus will be to improve communications on all issues, and to ensure that all viewpoints are fairly represented to the commission."

Orodenker focuses on administrative law as a practicing attorney in Honolulu.

In the late 1980s, he helped preserve the ridge above Lanikai from development.

Orodenker served in a variety of government positions between 1990 and 1996, including director of the Honolulu Waterfront Program, acting executive director of the Aloha Tower Development Corp. and assistant to the director of DBEDT.

From 1996 to 2000, Orodenker was director of the Hawai‘i Natural Heritage Program, part of the Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i.

Orodenker in more recent years served a second stint as Aloha Tower Development Corp. executive director, was a special assistant to Mayor Mufi Hannemann and was an attorney and land manager for Molokai Ranch.