RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, for years, the State of Hawaii has experienced a continuing and increasing demand for quality berthing and moorage facilities in both public small boat harbors and private marinas throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, in 1990, the final environmental impact statement for the Keehi Lagoon Recreation Plan that proposed a significant increase in the number of needed recreational and commercial boating berths was completed by the Department of Transportation and accepted by the Governor; and

WHEREAS, the development objectives for Keehi Lagoon proposed the use of private sector funds to implement the recommendations of the updated Keehi Lagoon Recreation Plan by leasing unimproved and unused areas to a private developer and generating lease rent revenues to the State; and

WHEREAS, although the State has continued to encourage development of marina facilities by the private sector to help meet the demand for berthing space over the last twenty years, only Ko Olina Marina has been completed and placed in operation due apparently to the prolonged and costly process of obtaining necessary county, state, and federal permits and approvals and the lack of available financing; and

WHEREAS, the State's existing small boat harbors are in serious disrepair with piers and moorage slips in continuing deteriorating condition or completely collapsing, but funds have not been available to address direly needed improvements with costs conservatively estimated at more than $300,000,000; and

WHEREAS, state funds have not been allocated and will continue to be unavailable to meet the increasing, unmet demand for small boat berthing facilities on Oahu and throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, general funds should not be used for either new boating facilities or the repair of existing facilities because the general public should not absorb costs benefiting a special user group, rather that required funding should emanate from internal boating activity revenues, including berthing and moorage fees and other boating generated income; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources has formally entered into an agreement with a private developer to excavate the fast lands adjacent to Honokohau Small Boat Harbor on the island of Hawaii to meet the demands of additional moorage and berthing facilities in Kona; and

WHEREAS, private companies continue to express interest in developing boating and ocean recreation facilities in Keehi Lagoon and, in the absence of state funds, may be the only means to effect the development of this valuable resource; and

WHEREAS, the enormous potential at Keehi Lagoon, paralleling Lagoon Drive, provides opportunity for both hundreds and possibly up to one thousand new slips and substantial new income for the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Boating and Ocean Recreation Division, utilizing private funds for initial construction as well as ongoing operational and maintenance expenses; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, the Senate concurring, that the Board of Land and Natural Resources is requested to meet with all stakeholders and registered users of Keehi Lagoon, including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and canoe paddling clubs, to discuss the utilization of Keehi Lagoon, parallel to Lagoon Drive, for the purpose of constructing small boat berthing facilities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Land and Natural Resources is requested to ensure that any boating facilities and operations do not conflict with canoe paddling or any other ongoing sanctioned activity; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is requested to transfer the jurisdiction and management of lands at Keehi Lagoon, parallel to Lagoon Drive, from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Land and Natural Resources; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Director of Transportation, and the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, who, in turn, is requested to transmit copies to all listed lessees, licensees, and other registered users of Keehi Lagoon.

Report Title:

Keehi Lagoon Lands