Report Title:

HCDCH; Completion of Villages of Kapolei; Traffic Improvements; Appropriation

Description:

Requires the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii to complete construction of the Villages of Kapolei by June 30, 2011, and authorizes its coordination with the Department of Transportation or the City and County of Honolulu to implement recommendations of a private traffic study. Appropriates $900,000 from dwelling unit revolving fund for traffic improvements. (CD1)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1661

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

S.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF HAWAII.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The Villages at Kapolei (Kapolei), a project of the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii, is ten years old this year and has yet to be completed. Kapolei is part of Oahu's "second city," a planned community located on the Ewa plains of Oahu. Kapolei features affordable and market-priced single family homes, condominiums, and rental apartments. Schools, churches, parks, recreational centers, two retail centers, and a golf course are planned as part of Kapolei. Eight villages are planned as part of Kapolei. To date, three villages have been completed, three are still under construction, and two more have yet to begin construction. A total of five thousand units are planned.

According to the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii, the villages' "master planned project" is part of the objective of the development corporation to increase and preserve affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income households and special need groups primarily by facilitating private sector development.

The housing and community development corporation of Hawaii acknowledges that issues relating to the dedication of Kapolei infrastructure to the city and county of Honolulu are the primary reason for any delay related to the completion of the project. The current estimate for completion of the project is five or more years. Much of this time is involved with negotiating the terms for dedication with the various county departments and the acceptance of any final agreements by the city and county of Honolulu.

In the meantime, the Villages of Kapolei homeowners association has proceeded with efforts to address the needs of the neighborhoods in regard to traffic calming and reducing traffic congestion. For that purpose, the association retained a mainland consulting firm, Walkable Communities, Inc., to conduct a planning study and make recommendations concerning pedestrian, bicycle and auto safety, school traffic safety, and retail accessibility.

The purpose of this Act is to require the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii to complete the construction of Kapolei by June 30, 2011. This Act also authorizes the agency to coordinate with the city and county of Honolulu to implement recommendations of the Kapolei homeowners association's traffic study.

SECTION 2. Act 100, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, is amended by adding two new sections to read as follows:

"SECTION 2A. The housing and community development corporation of Hawaii shall complete construction of the Villages of Kapolei, including affordable housing units, if any, no later than June 30, 2011.

SECTION 2B. The state department of transportation or the city and county of Honolulu, as applicable, and the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii may collaborate and coordinate to implement the recommendations of the traffic study for the Villages of Kapolei, prepared by Walkable Communities, Inc., including:

(1) Updating the interim transportation master plan for the immediate and general area;

(2) Sponsoring, along with the Villages of Kapolei homeowners association and the University of Hawaii, additional planning and charrette activities to address specific needs within the villages to reduce motorized trip demands, and to create added walking and bicycling connectivity;

(3) Increasing walking, bicycling, and other non-auto trips, through planning of appropriately scaled commercial office services and activities, to reduce the number of auto trips;

(4) Contracting with a private firm to conduct additional analyses and to hold traffic workshops for residents of the villages of Kapolei;

(5) Resolving all major issues, designs, and efforts to calm traffic, handle foot and bicycle traffic, and manage motorized traffic in the area, prior to dedication of roadways by the State to the city and county of Honolulu;

(6) Constructing improvements to Kama'aha loop to ensure that traffic in front of the Kapolei elementary school moves at more appropriate speeds of fifteen to twenty miles per hour to eliminate much of the existing school pick-up and drop-off congestion;

(7) Constructing a pedestrian trail and link across the Kealanani avenue intersection with Kama'aha avenue to provide adequate community bicycle and pedestrian access, and constructing in this area a single lane roundabout or a raised intersection;

(8) Developing a piazza or neighborhood square;

(9) Constructing a median opening on the trail that is broken by a median island on Kaiau avenue, and other recommended changes to Kaiau avenue and the median;

    (10) Constructing traffic improvements at certain specified major intersections, including but not limited to constructing traffic signals and crosswalks at the intersections of Kapolei parkway and Kama'aha avenue fronting Kapolei middle school, and Kapolei parkway and Malu Ohai street fronting Kapolei high school;

    (11) Reducing unnecessary lanes; and

    (12) Retaining on-street parking on local neighborhood streets."

SECTION 3. Act 100, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, is amended by amending section 1 to read as follows:

"SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to [authorize]:

(1) Authorize the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii, in coordination with the respective counties, to establish the affordable housing requirements for undeveloped parcels in the [villages] Villages of Kapolei, Oahu; [villages] Villages of Leiali’i, Maui; and [villages] Villages of La’i’opua, Hawaii, irrespective of any other law, rule, or ordinance to the contrary[.];

(2) Require construction of the Villages of Kapolei to be completed by June 30, 2011; and

(3) Require, where feasible, the state department of transportation and the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii to collaborate and coordinate with the city and county of Honolulu to implement the recommendations of the traffic study for the Villages of Kapolei, prepared by Walkable Communities, Inc.; and to construct traffic improvements as defined in section 2B, subsection (10) of Act 100, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, as amended."

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the dwelling unit revolving fund the sum of $900,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, for the construction of traffic improvements at the intersections of Kapolei parkway and Kama'aha avenue fronting Kapolei middle school and Kapolei parkway and Malu Ohai street fronting Kapolei high school.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.