Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1659, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the Department of Land and Natural Resources' (DLNR) authority to enter into lease agreements with private noncommercial pier owners.

A member of the House of Representatives, the Protect the Shoreline Ohana, and one individual testified in support of this measure. The DLNR submitted comments on this measure.

Your Committee finds that prior to 2000, there were hundreds of privately owned noncommercial piers in Hawaii. Many of those piers were built before Statehood, and many of the pier owners were not aware that their piers did not have the proper authorization from the State and were considered illegal.

In 2000 and 2001, an amnesty program was established to provide noncommercial pier owners an opportunity to obtain the proper leasing agreements. At that time, pier owners were given a deadline of June 30, 2005 to negotiate their long-term leases; however, delays and difficulties in obtaining the required surveys, appraisals, and additional documentation has created delays for many of the pier owners trying to negotiate their long-term leases. This measure extends the DLNR's authority to enter into long-term lease agreements from June 30, 2005 to June 30, 2007.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1659, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1659, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.