Thank you for drawing attention to House Bill 1630 and Senate Bill 3202 before the Legislature, bills that would, in effect, nullify our current county- level residential zoning and drastically change our neighborhoods (“Bills propose more housing on smaller lots,” Star-Advertiser, March 22). They represent a planner’s and a neighborhood’s worst nightmare.

Under the guise of affordable housing, these bills would require the counties to approve subdivision of residential parcels into lots as small as 2,000 square feet, with as many as three units allowed on each parcel.

While we are all aware of housing needs, waving the flag of “affordable housing” does not justify undermining the counties’ zoning powers, subverting our county-level general development and sustainable communities plans, eliminating communities’ input in a process that severely affects their neighborhoods, and infringing on the rights of people who bought into residential zoning. There are other far less destructive and equitable ways to increase our housing inventory.

Ursula Retherford

Kailua

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