What does RS zoning mean in Hilo?

RS is Hawaii County's Single-Family Residential district, the standard designation for most detached single-family neighborhoods in urban Hilo.

How do I check the zoning for a property in Hilo?

Use the parcel's TMK number with the County of Hawaii Planning Department's GIS zoning map, or contact the Planning Department directly, since county zoning only controls within the State Land Use Urban and Rural districts.

Why does agricultural zoning in Hilo have a number and 'a' after it, like A-5a?

The suffix denotes the minimum lot size in acres — A-5a requires a 5-acre minimum lot. Hawaii County uses this notation across its A-1a, A-5a, and A-20a agricultural districts.

Hilo, Hawaii · city zoning districts · 12 districts

Hilo, HI zoning map & districts

Hilo, the administrative seat of Hawaii County, is zoned under the countywide Zoning Code (Hawaii County Code, Chapter 25), administered by the County of Hawaii Planning Department. Unlike Oahu, county zoning on the Big Island operates alongside the State Land Use Commission's four statewide classifications (Urban, Rural, Agricultural, Conservation) — county zoning districts only take effect within the State Urban and Rural boundaries, while land in the State Agricultural or Conservation districts is governed largely by state rules regardless of county zoning designation.

The code County of Hawaii Zoning Code

Hilo zoning map

The County of Hawaii Planning Department administers the zoning code and zoning maps; parcel zoning is confirmed via the county's online GIS map or by TMK lookup at the Planning Department counter in Hilo.

There is no link to the official map here yet — confirm current district boundaries directly with the Hilo planning or zoning department.

A published summary is never the authority. The adopted ordinance and the city's official zoning map govern, and both change — verify the district and every standard on your parcel before you rely on it.

How zoning works in Hilo

Hilo's urban core is dominated by single-family (RS) zoning with pockets of multi-family (RM) near downtown and the historic Bayfront commercial district zoned Village Commercial (CV). Agricultural districts on Hilo's edges are denoted by minimum-lot-size suffixes (A-1a, A-5a, A-20a for 1-, 5-, and 20-acre minimums), reflecting the transition from urban Hilo into the surrounding agricultural uplands.

Hilo zoning districts by family

The 12 district codes below are the ones that decide most projects in Hilo, grouped by what they are for rather than by the order the ordinance prints them.

Key districts in the County of Hawaii Zoning Code — a curated reference, not the exhaustive list. Confirm against the current adopted code.
Code	District	What it is for
Residential 4 districts
RS	Single-Family Residential	Standard single-family district covering most of urban Hilo.
RD	Two-Family Residential	Permits duplex development.
RM	Multiple-Family Residential	Apartment and multifamily development near the downtown core.
RA	Residential and Agricultural	Large-lot residential district permitting agricultural accessory uses.
Mixed-use 1 district
V	Village	Mixed-use district for small commercial nodes within residential areas.
Commercial 3 districts
CV	Village Commercial	Applied to Hilo's historic Bayfront/downtown commercial district.
CN	Neighborhood Commercial	Small-scale local retail and services.
CG	General Commercial	Larger-format commercial along arterial corridors.
Industrial 1 district
ML	Limited Industrial	Light industrial and warehouse uses.
Special purpose 3 districts
A-1a	Agricultural (1-acre minimum)	Smallest-lot agricultural district, closest to the urban edge.
A-5a	Agricultural (5-acre minimum)	Mid-size agricultural lots.
A-20a	Agricultural (20-acre minimum)	Large-lot agricultural district on Hilo's rural fringe.

Hilo zoning — common questions

What does RS zoning mean in Hilo?: RS is Hawaii County's Single-Family Residential district, the standard designation for most detached single-family neighborhoods in urban Hilo.
How do I check the zoning for a property in Hilo?: Use the parcel's TMK number with the County of Hawaii Planning Department's GIS zoning map, or contact the Planning Department directly, since county zoning only controls within the State Land Use Urban and Rural districts.
Why does agricultural zoning in Hilo have a number and 'a' after it, like A-5a?: The suffix denotes the minimum lot size in acres — A-5a requires a 5-acre minimum lot. Hawaii County uses this notation across its A-1a, A-5a, and A-20a agricultural districts.

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The parcel layer lands in the order demand does. Illinois went first because that's where the deals were; the next state is decided by who tells us what they're trying to underwrite. Tell us where you're building and what you wanted to run — you'll hear from us when Hawaii opens, and sooner if we need a test parcel.

Keep reading

← Hawaii zoning — who holds the zoning power in Hawaii, under which enabling statute, and the reforms that override local rules.

Other Hawaii cities

The zoning reference → — every state, plus city-level district guides like this one.

Hilo zoning summaries on this page are provided for information, not legal advice. Confirm every project against the current adopted code for the jurisdiction.