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ABOUT THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE:

In addition to virtual community meetings, this virtual open house is the online community engagement platform for the North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan (NSSCP) Comprehensive Review. The virtual open house provides many interactive opportunities for North Shore residents and stakeholders to interact with the Project Team and provide their thoughts and input throughout the planning process. This Community Visioning Workshop looks to take stock of where we are in implementing the 2011 NSSCP Vision, confirm key policy issues to address in the NSSCP update, and get your thoughts on the current Vision and direction for the next 25 years.

 

HOW TO USE THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE AND PROVIDE INPUT:

There are several ways to participate and provide input on Virtual Open House:

1. View and listen to the recorded video presentations.

2. Fill out discussion surveys or add comments directly to materials posted (commentors will be asked to provide and email address).

3. Submit comments and questions to the Project Team using the comment form.

 

It is recommended that you register for a free website account at the top of the page to avoid inputting your name and email address as you provide us comments in the Open House.

 

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Scroll through and click Play to listen to the audio presentation below.

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Download the full presentation HERE.

Scroll through and click Play to listen to the audio presentation below.

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Provide your input on the key policy issues and priorities below:

Land Use & Responsible Development

Do you agree with the key issues for land use & responsible development?  Are there other key land use & responsible development issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.

Agriculture

Do you agree with the key issues for agriculture?  Are there other key agriculture issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.

Infrastructure

Do you agree with the key issues for infrastructure?  Are there other key infrastructure issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.

Transportation

Do you agree with the key issues for transportation?  Are there other key transportation issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.

Economy

Do you agree with the key issues for economy?  Are there other key economic issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.

Tourism

Do you agree with the key issues for tourism?  Are there other key tourism issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.

Natural Environment & Open Space

Do you agree with the key issues for natural environment and open space?  Are there other key natural environment and open space issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.

Historic & Cultural Resources

Do you agree with the key issues for historic and cultural resources?  Are there other key historic and cultural resource issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.

Neighborhood Character & Identity

Do you agree with the key issues for neighborhood character and identity?  Are there other key neighborhood character and identity issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.

Public Facilities & Services

Do you agree with the key issues for public facilities and services?  Are there other key public facility and service issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.  

Climate Change & Resilience

Do you agree with the key issues for climate change and resilience?  Are there other key climate change and resilience issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.

Sustainability

Do you agree with the key issues for sustainability?  Are there other key sustainability issues that you want to see addressed in the NSSCP? Comment below.

2011 NSSCP Vision

 

Scroll through and click Play to listen to the audio presentation below.

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Provide your input on the 2011 NSSCP vision elements below:

Maintain the Community Growth Boundary to Protect Agricultural, Open Space, and Natural Resources

Do you agree with the following vision element? "Maintain the Community Growth Boundary to Protect Agricultural, Open Space, and Natural Resources"   View the 2011 NSSCP description of this vision element below: The North Shore is characterized by vast tracts of agricultural lands, open spaces, and natural and cultural resources. To protect these resources from development, the Community Growth Boundary was established to guide development and preserve open space and agricultural areas. It has remained fixed since it was first established in 2000, and no new development has occurred outside the Community Growth Boundary. The Community Growth Boundary has served as a valuable tool to guide resource management, future development or redevelopment within existing zoning designations or future zoning designations, and other standards or guidelines that have been developed in response to plan provisions, other established entitlements, or in accordance with pertinent policy and character described in this plan. The Community Growth Boundary defines, protects, and contains communities in areas which the General Plan designates “rural” and which exhibit the physical characteristics of rural lifestyles. The boundary provides adequate lands for facilities needed to support established communities, and protects such communities from more intense land uses and patterns of development associated with more urban areas. The Community Growth Boundary also preserves areas outside the boundary for agriculture or other resource or open space values. Where appropriate, the area within this boundary also contains open space elements considered essential to the character of the rural community being defined. Open space elements within the Community Growth Boundary may include lands designated “Park,” “Agriculture,” “Preservation,” or areas with development-related hazards such as steep slopes or unstable soils. Rural communities defined by this boundary consist of residential communities and towns that are smaller, more dispersed, and less intensively developed than those in O‘ahu’s urban or urban fringe areas. Development character is generally low density, low rise, small scale, and reflective of a “country” setting. Within residential areas, the landscaping and front yards which provide the foregrounds to their respective residences are the principal visual elements. In commercial areas, the pedestrian environment and associated amenities predominate, and storefronts are typically found on both sides of the street. Commercial buildings are oriented principally toward the street, relate readily to the human scale, and are organized to encourage interaction between the public and private domains. As shown on Exhibit 2.1, the Community Growth Boundary on the North Shore conceptually defines the limits of residential, commercial, industrial, or other similar uses. As no proposals for these types of uses can be considered outside the Community Growth Boundary, this boundary also prevents the encroachment of development onto agricultural lands and open space resources. Areas outside the Community Growth Boundary include agricultural lands as well as preservation lands with important open space, scenic, or natural resource values. Uses such as commercial and industrial development, public and private schools, and residential subdivisions with no bona fide agricultural activities are not permitted in these areas. Permissible land uses outside the Community Growth Boundary include agriculture and limited low-intensity types of outdoor recreational uses where appropriate, such as on nonagricultural lands or agricultural lands that are not suitable for intensive cultivation, provided they do not diminish the agricultural potential of these sites or jeopardize the open space, natural and scenic character of these resources. Other permitted uses outside the Community Growth Boundary include environmental and educational programs and facilities that are resource compatible, such as a high technology learning center that uses existing facilities at Camp Mokulē‘ia and Camp Erdman in Mokulē‘ia. Rural communities within the Community Growth Boundary include concentrations of residential, commercial, and industrial uses as well as the network of roads, parks, and open spaces which define their edges or give them character. Relative to the State Land Use District boundaries, the Community Growth Boundary generally circumscribes built-up sections of Mokulē‘ia, Waialua, Hale‘iwa, Kawailoa, and Sunset Beach that are within the State Urban District. It also includes portions of the State Agricultural District in Sunset Hills and Pūpūkea that are zoned Country, as well as portions of the State Agricultural District makai of the highway in Hale‘iwa and Waialua that are designated and zoned for agricultural use. However, except for limited “infill” areas in Hale‘iwa and Waialua Towns that are contiguous to lands designated for residential and commercial use, agricultural lands within the Community Growth Boundary continue to remain in the State Agricultural District and continue to be designated and zoned as Agriculture, so as to maintain the agricultural uses and/or open space value within the Community Growth Boundary.  Within this boundary, open space continues to define communities, and significant natural resources (such as streams, natural drainageways, wetlands, and fishponds) are protected. New development within the Community Growth Boundary has been limited to infill low-density, low-rise development contiguous to existing built areas, to promote a compact form of development with lower development costs and more efficient utilization of existing infrastructure systems. The infill areas within the Community Growth Boundary have had ample capacity to accommodate residential, commercial, and industrial needs to the year 2035. 

Promote a Diversified Agricultural Industry

Do you agree with the following vision element? "Promote a Diversified Agricultural Industry"   View the 2011 NSSCP description of this vision element below: A healthy agricultural industry continues to generate economic opportunities that are appropriate to the region’s open space and rural qualities. In addition to using the Community Growth Boundary to ensure long-range protection for agricultural lands, land use policies and guidelines are in place to protect agricultural lands from encroachment by incompatible uses and to encourage long-term investments in productive agricultural uses on those lands. Economic incentives to support the industry, including tax or other incentives or measures to maintain productive agricultural lands, facilitate conversion from plantation crops to diversified agriculture, and promote long-term leases or sale of lands for farming, have been enhanced and strengthened. Industrial and commercial activities which support or service agricultural production are creating further economic opportunities. To promote the cost-efficient use of existing infrastructure and prevent urbanization of agricultural lands, major agricultural support facilities have been consolidated in designated areas that are accessible to existing infrastructure. In addition, visitor-based activities that are accessory to agricultural operations are providing additional revenue-generating sources to supplement farm incomes.  Agricultural support facilities at the former Waialua Mill site have been expanded into the area makai of the Mill, and the area is the primary agricultural support area for the region. A secondary agricultural support area in Kawailoa near the Alluvion Nursery provides localized support for adjacent agricultural activities based in Kawailoa. 

Enhance the Region's Recreational and Educational Potential

Do you agree with the following vision element? "Enhance the Region's Recreational and Educational Potential"   View the 2011 NSSCP description of this vision element below: The North Shore is known for its numerous beach parks, world famous surf spots, and abundant mauka and makai resources. Recreational resources along the shoreline are preserved and enhanced, and access to the shoreline has been expanded. Facility improvements such as bathrooms, showers, and parking have been completed, and beach parks were expanded to meet island-wide demands on these resources. Maintenance and improvements to existing beach parks, additional access to the shoreline, and acquisition of beach right-of-ways continue to be a priority. Access to the mauka areas has been expanded for appropriate forms of recreational opportunities that do not compromise significant environmental resources or important agricultural activities. Above Mokulē‘ia, Hale‘iwa, and Pūpūkea, mauka access has been expanded for hiking, camping, hunting, and horseback riding and other resource-compatible forms of recreation within the context of sound resource management. Low-impact, resource-sensitive environmental, educational, and cultural interpretive programs are being accommodated at Ka‘ena Point and in the mauka areas of Mokulē‘ia, Hale‘iwa, Waimea and Pūpūkea. While promoting expanded access and recreational opportunities to coastal and mauka resources, the value of the resources remains protected from overuse. A high technology learning center is operating at Mokulē‘ia, and a resource center for technology training and long-distance learning serves Waialua schools. More community-based parks for area residents with better maintenance and amenities to support the community’s recreational needs are being provided. As new housing areas were developed in Waialua, Pu‘uiki Park was acquired to serve as a community-based park for area residents. In Hale‘iwa, the Hale‘iwa Beach Park Mauka (commonly known as the Hale‘iwa Regional Park) provides facilities for both active and passive recreational pursuits. In addition, an integrated system of pedestrian paths and bikeways links the parks, schools, and town centers in Waialua and Hale‘iwa.

Promote Hale'iwa and Waialua Towns as "Country Towns"

Do you agree with the following vision element? "Promote Hale'iwa and Waialua Towns as Country Towns"   View the 2011 NSSCP description of this vision element below: Hale‘iwa and Waialua Towns are the main commercial districts on the North Shore, each with different functions and distinct characteristics. The historic Hale‘iwa Town with its “main street” ambience is the region’s main commercial attraction for residents and visitors, while Waialua Town is a plantation town that primarily services the residents of Waialua and Mokulē‘ia. To maintain their rural “small town” character and to promote compact town development, the cores of both towns are designated as “country towns.” While the built environment within each town’s core reflects the town’s distinct historic character and the region’s rural landscape, both towns are celebrated for the unique mix of commercial, residential, and compatible industrial uses (such as small product or clothing manufacturing and assembly). Hale‘iwa. Hale‘iwa Town features a diverse mix of shops and restaurants, professional and service businesses, enterprises with art and recreational themes, and specialty outlets featuring regional products. Entry features into the town, landscaping, pedestrian walkways, and off-street parking behind buildings have spawned the town’s revitalization, and new developments are concentrated along Kamehameha Highway. The Hale‘iwa Special District Design Guidelines remain in force to ensure that all new development is compatible with existing built areas and the rural character of the region. Small-scale visitor accommodations located within the Hale‘iwa Country Town District provide overnight facilities for visitors wishing to vacation on the North Shore. These small scale visitor accommodations are one alternative to address community concerns about the illegal use of private homes as short-term vacation rentals. Short-term vacation rentals and the additional pressures such use places on surrounding residences have been addressed. Locational and performance criteria addressing the different types of visitor accommodations have been established and are actively enforced. Waialua. Waialua Town is the quiet heart of the North Shore’s residential and farming community, featuring the region’s primary agricultural support area and a vibrant core with basic retail and commercial services and light industrial uses that support the local community. Although agricultural and light industrial businesses are the major employers in Waialua, the town’s proximity to Ka‘ena Point and the recreational opportunities in the area attracted recreational and environmental education activities to the area, including high technology and education industries that partner with area schools. Such partnerships have enhanced the quality of education and, along with the establishment of a private high school in the area, have created professional-level jobs for area residents. In addition, Waialua’s central location and proximity to the schools and parks is ideal for locating civic and community services such as job training programs for the youth and support services for the elderly. To preserve its plantation heritage and rural character, design guidelines appropriate to Waialua Town are established. The core of Waialua Town is centered around Goodale Avenue and Kealohanui Street. As envisioned in the Waialua Town Master Plan (2005), revitalization of the town’s core has created a landscaped, pedestrian-oriented mall anchored by the Waialua Bandstand and the revitalized Waialua Mill site, an expanded farmers market, and community and commercial uses. Appropriate forms of small-scale, low-intensity tourist activities such as tours of nearby agricultural farms and processing facilities and recreational resources are helping to further revitalize the town’s commercial center by attracting more people there.   

Support Waialua as the North Shore's Industrial Center

Do you agree with the following vision element? "Support Waialua as the North Shore's Industrial Center"   View the 2011 NSSCP description of this vision element below: The Waialua Mill site has been reinforced as the industrial center for the region. In addition to industrial uses that support the agriculture industry, general industrial uses such as boat and car repair, surfboard manufacturing and repair, manufacturing of crafts and island products, and warehousing are thriving. Development of the former Mill and expansion makai of the Mill site has encouraged more commercial activity and enhanced the physical connection between the Mill and Waialua’s town core. 

Direct New Housing to Areas Contiguous to Hale'iwa and Waialua Towns

Do you agree with the following vision element? "Direct New Housing to Areas Contiguous to Hale'iwa and Waialua Towns and Use Rural Design Guidelines for Rural Residential Development"   View the 2011 NSSCP description of this vision element below: New residential development is located within designated areas adjoining Hale‘iwa and Waialua Towns, with additional “infill” on or contiguous to existing lots in previously developed residential areas. New housing consists of a range of housing types and prices, including affordable housing that is allowing local residents to stay in the area. Attached and multifamily housing forms which were not traditionally associated with the rural setting have been developed, and the higher densities have supported the development of affordable housing. In Waialua, new housing has replaced the former mill camp once located between the Mill and Pu‘uiki Road, and expanded into the area mauka of the mill camp between Pu‘uiki Road and Goodale Avenue. In Hale‘iwa, infill residential expansion has occurred north of Pa‘ala‘a Road on lands outside the flood plain. Rural design guidelines and development standards have been adopted to ensure compatibility with the region’s rural character and surrounding open space. Rural models such as the plantation community at Poamoho Camp, which is characterized by clusters of single-story dwellings with landscaping, narrow streets, and common parks and open spaces within the neighborhood, were used as examples to follow. In addition to guidelines to limit building heights and lot coverage in order to maximize open space and landscaping, low-impact development principles that promote sustainable building design and alternative development options that allow for site design flexibility, creative site utilization, and open space preservation were adopted. Rural streetscape design that minimizes pavement surfaces and allows for grassed swales in place of sidewalks with curbs and gutters, as opposed to more urban and suburban models, is considered appropriate. Where feasible and appropriate, existing plantation homes were rehabilitated in a manner which allows them to be affordable to existing residents. 

Provide Adequate and Appropriately-Sized Public Infrastructure, Facilities, and Services

Do you agree with the following vision element? "Provide Adequate and Appropriately-Sized Public Infrastructure, Facilities, and Services"   View the 2011 NSSCP description of this vision element below: Public agencies and private developers work together to provide adequate infrastructure and needed public facilities and services. Considering the large number of nonresidents that visit the North Shore and partake in the region’s assets, additional resources to upgrade and adequately maintain existing infrastructure systems and public facilities are being provided. Infrastructure does not detract from scenic amenities, recreational opportunities, open space, or other amenities. Adequate, environmentally sensitive wastewater treatment systems that minimally impact groundwater and ocean resources and are consistent with the North Shore’s rural character have replaced outdated and ineffective wastewater systems. The quality of the North Shore’s ground, surface, and nearshore waters is vital for ensuring public health, providing outdoor recreation, sustaining the integrity of ecological systems, and maintaining general environmental quality. In addition to drainage system improvements to mitigate storm runoff and regional flood hazards, adequate infrastructure for drainage systems has been established and is being maintained to ensure continuous runoff and protect the quality of coastal waters. Agricultural uses are implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs), including those recommended in the State Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program, to minimize soil erosion. An adequate circulation network that allows for efficient and safe travel supports all modes of transportation. Traffic on Kamehameha Highway between the heart of Hale‘iwa Town and Waimea Bay flows freely since safety and operational deficiencies along the aged highway system were corrected. Kamehameha Highway remains a two-lane highway; no additional through lanes have been constructed, although improvements to reduce traffic impediments (for example, bicycle/pedestrian facilities to encourage the use of alternatives modes of transportation, dedicated storage/stacking turn lanes to minimize bottlenecks affecting emergency vehicle response time, turnouts and facility improvements to reduce the number of cars parked along the highway) have been completed. The provision of secondary/emergency access into and out of the region is also available. The transportation system encourages reduced automobile dependency, and includes an integrated network of bus routes, and pedestrian paths and bikeways that link the various residential communities, parks, schools, and the town centers of Hale‘iwa and Waialua. Other priority needs that have been addressed include retention of the public library in Waialua, maintenance of existing parks in the region, and adequate staffing and resources to ensure quality public safety services and protection from natural hazards. Use of proven renewable energy and energy conservation measures, including the use of solar energy systems and sustainable building technologies, is encouraged. 

Preserve and Protect Cultural and Historic Resources

Do you agree with the following vision element? "Preserve and Protect Cultural and Historic Resources"   View the 2011 NSSCP description of this vision element below: Preserving significant plantation era and other historic features such as at Hale‘iwa Town, Waialua Town, the Waialua Mill, and other sites, as well as protecting Native Hawaiian cultural and archaeological sites, has been important in retaining the area’s unique identity and country character. Historic site restoration and interpretive programs are integrated into the development of parks and shorelines and mountain access systems, to help enhance appreciation of these resources. The North Shore has a wealth of historic and cultural resources signifying its rich history of land use that extends back to the precontact Native Hawaiian era. Native Hawaiians were the first known inhabitants of the region, arriving around 1100 A.D. and settling in villages built along valley floors, streams and shoreline areas. With an abundance of marine life, fertile soils, natural springs, and forest resources, the lands around Waialua and Kaiaka Bay are believed to have supported between 6,000 to 8,000 people prior to Western contact in the late 1700s. The concentration of archaeological and cultural sites remaining in the region indicates that the moku of Waialua was viewed as an important area to invoke and sustain mana (the spiritual force and energy that was integral to the religious, social and political well-being of the Native Hawaiian society.)  Following the arrival of Western missionaries and the introduction of Western ideals in the early 1800s, there was a drastic reduction in the population of Native Hawaiians and their traditional land use practices. Like other places on O‘ahu, Western entrepreneurs assumed control of large tracts of land for plantation agriculture purposes. With the establishment of the North Shore’s first sugar cane plantation in 1865, plantation agriculture dominated the North Shore’s economy for more than 100 years until the closure of the Waialua Sugar Mill in 1996. Most of the North Shore’s present-day landscape – including the region’s physical layout and formation of its towns and neighborhoods, its building forms and landmarks, sense of place, and demographic composition and social fabric of the community – have been influenced by the plantation and its distinctive lifestyle. 

Adapt the Ahupua'a Concept as a Framework for Land Use and Natural Resource Management

Do you agree with the following vision element? "Adapt the Ahupua'a Concept as a Framework for Land Use and Natural Resource Management"   View the 2011 NSSCP description of this vision element below: Traditional Hawaiian life was based on the ahupua‘a system of land management. An ahupua‘a, or land division, was typically wedge-shaped and extended from the top of the mountain into the outer edge of the ocean reef. Defined by the natural geographic formations such as mountain ridges, gulches and streams, ahupua‘a were complete ecological and economic production systems that provided all the resources to sustain the community living within the ahupua‘a. Fish and marine resources were harvested from the ocean, kalo (taro) and ‘uala (sweet potato) were raised in the lowlands, and upland areas provided trees and other forest products. The mokupuni, or island, of O‘ahu is made up of six moku, or districts. There are two moku in the North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan area – the entire moku of Waialua and a portion of Ko‘olau Loa. Waialua, the northwestern moku, extends from Ka‘ena Point in the west to Kapaeloa at Waimea in the east. Ko‘olau Loa is the northeastern moku that stretches from Waimea Bay to Ka‘a‘awa. The eighteen ahupua‘a in the North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan area include: Ka‘ena, Keālia, Kawaihāpai, Kikahi, Auku‘u, Mokulēi‘a, Kamananui, Pa‘ala‘a, Kawailoa, Lauhulu, Kuikuiloloa, Punanue, Kāpaeloa, Waimea, Pūpūkea, Paumalū, Kaunala and a portion of Waiale‘e. While the communities in the various ahupua‘a may be diverse, they share a common desire to preserve the natural, cultural and historical heritage of the region. The ahupua‘a concept is a holistic approach to land management that recognizes the connections between land-based and marine-based natural resources and the dependent relationships between ecological functions. Resources were managed for the collective good of all living within the ahupua‘a, based on the principle that activities in one part of the ahupua‘a affected all other parts (for example, inappropriate management of forestry and agricultural uses in the upland areas can negatively affect the quality of streams and coastal waters). Adapted to the context of today’s community needs and technology, the ahupua’a concept provides useful principles for guiding the use and management of the North Shore’s resources. The application of these traditional values to current land use activities and environmental regulatory and management practices promotes effective management of the North Shore’s natural resources and deters land-based activities which contribute to their degradation. In keeping with this approach, the planning and implementation of land use decisions and land-based actions considers related effects on coastal waters and the nearshore environment. Moreover, all development and infrastructure improvement decisions recognize that the changes to one segment of the community will have consequences that extend beyond that particular action. Utilizing this approach, a relatively minor project involving a small segment of land or a short stretch of roadway could have significant implications on other parts of the community when the various systems that make up the community are considered as a whole. On a broader scale, there is a need to recognize the connection between the North Shore and its neighboring regions (i.e., Central O‘ahu, Ko‘olau Loa and Wai‘anae), and the many ways that events and activities occurring in one region may affect the others. 

Integrate Principles of Sustainability into Decision-Making Processes

Do you agree with the following vision element? "Integrate Principles of Sustainability into Decision-Making Processes"   View the 2011 NSSCP description of this vision element below: Change is inevitable. It is a fact of life that cannot be ignored. Change in small, rural communities – whether good or bad, big or small – is especially evident and often times controversial. By nature of its population size and scale of development, rural communities tend to be more sensitive to change, and residents of rural areas tend to be more directly affected by the actions of others. While change can be difficult, it is necessary because an inability to adapt to changing conditions can lead to stagnation and failure. A community that successfully manages change will flourish and prosper in the future. For the North Shore, this means ensuring that planned growth and development respects and adheres to the principles of sustainability. The North Shore’s principles of sustainability have promoted the long-term health of the land and community resources for both current and future generations of residents:     • Protect the environment, natural resources, existing flora and fauna, and where appropriate, open spaces and view planes.     • Use resources so they are not depleted, permanently damaged or destroyed.     • Avoid pollution and exceeding the limits of existing infrastructure systems.     • Respect the cultural, social and physical resources that shape residents’ sense of community and rural quality of life.     • Honor the process of change. Make no decisions without first understanding the effects such change will have on the land and community resources.     • Strive for balance between economic prosperity, social and community well-being, and environmental stewardship. Adopt a multidisciplinary approach acknowledging the importance of our community capital in land use and infrastructure planning decisions. 
What are your thoughts?

Are there any new vision elements that should be considered?

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