East Honolulu landscaping follows LUO Sec. 21-4.70. Native Hawaiian species are permitted substitutions, making them a strong drought option for dry Hawaii Kai and Portlock lots.
East Honolulu's hot, dry leeward microclimate around Koko Head, Hawaii Kai, and Portlock is well-suited to native Hawaiian coastal plants such as naupaka, ilima, and pohinahina that need little irrigation once established. Under LUO Sec. 21-4.70 (landscaping and screening), native Hawaiian species are permitted as substitutions for standard street tree species in landscape designs. No mandatory native-only requirement exists. The Board of Water Supply Xeriscape Program and the Oahu Planting Guide offer voluntary guidance and plant lists, especially helpful for marina-side and hillside properties.
Non-compliant landscape plans may be rejected by DPP; however, native substitutions are commonly approved and rarely the source of citations.
East Honolulu, HI
East Honolulu pool owners in Hawaii Kai, Portlock, and Aina Haina must install code-compliant barriers under ROH Sec. 16-6.2, with public pools in the CDP su...
East Honolulu, HI
East Honolulu retaining walls on Kuliouou, Hawaii Loa Ridge, and Niu Valley hillsides fall under ROH 21-4.40, which caps fill-bearing walls in required yards...
East Honolulu, HI
East Honolulu fence materials follow the LUO definition embedded in ROH 21-4.60, allowing wrought iron, wood, vinyl, plastic, and wire with post foundations ...
East Honolulu, HI
East Honolulu neighbor fence disputes fall under ROH 21-4.30 yard setbacks combined with 21-4.60 height limits, since Hawaii has no dedicated spite fence sta...
East Honolulu, HI
Public parks in East Honolulu, including Koko Head and Hawaii Kai area beach parks, are closed during posted night hours. Entering closed parks is prohibited...
East Honolulu, HI
East Honolulu follows the Hawaii state juvenile curfew under HRS 577-16. Children under 16 cannot be in public places between 10 pm and 4 am without a parent...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Honolulu County.
See how other cities in Honolulu County handle native plants.
See how East Honolulu's native plants rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.