A group opposed to the proposed 11,750-home Ho'opili project yesterday announced an effort aimed at changing the 'Ewa development plan to keep the area permanently in agriculture.

Community group Friends of Makakilo, with support from the state Office of Planning, recently successfully challenged D.R. Horton-Schuler Homes' petition with the state Land Use Commission to urbanize 1,554 acres of farmland. The commission ruled that the developer didn't comply with state law requiring that development be substantially complete within 10 years. Ho'opili is slated to be built over 20 years.

Project backers cite positive impacts including creating as many as 8,000 jobs. Supporters also note that the county long ago designated the region to be part of Kapolei's secondary urban center and a primary absorber of future O'ahu population growth.

At a minimum, the ruling could delay the project for about a year. Traffic is one of the two most frequent concerns raised regarding Ho'opili. The loss of agriculture has been the other.

Kioni Dudley, president of Friends of Makakilo, said the group plans to launch a public information campaign aimed at rallying the public to petition the city Department of Planning and Permitting to change the 'Ewa growth boundary. The department is in the process of updating the 'Ewa development plan, which as written would allow urbanization of the East Kapolei area where Ho'opili would be built.