HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	254
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF a statewide greenbelts strategy to promote identification or development of transportation MANAGEMENT systemS THAT ARE BASED ON THE REDUCTION OF AUTOMOBILE USE OR alternatives to the automobile.

     WHEREAS, current land planning fosters dependency on personal automobiles by placing homes far from jobs and businesses; and

     WHEREAS, as a result, approximately 90 percent of personal travel in Hawaii is by private automobiles, which pollutes the air, contributes to traffic congestion on highways, and wastes energy reserves; and

     WHEREAS, suburban development also sprawls over the countryside, contributing to the deterioration of Hawaii's natural beauty; and

     WHEREAS, it is necessary for the State and counties to reevaluate land use policies to reduce dependency on personal automobiles and imported oil used to fuel travel; and

     WHEREAS, new policies should promote mixed-use pedestrian-oriented communities around transit hubs that integrate affordable housing, work, and shopping areas, and create neighborhoods that encourage walking and biking; and

     WHEREAS, greenbelts promote non-motorized modes of transportation, such as walking, jogging, hiking, bicycling, skating, and horseback riding, and create integrated ground transportation and recreational system; and

     WHEREAS, greenbelts benefit urban, suburban, and rural habitats, create and enhance recreational activities and opportunities, and enhance visitor attractions and associated business opportunities; and

     WHEREAS, it is possible to obtain federal funding for greenbelts under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act; and

     WHEREAS, greenbelts also provide a resource guideline for further acquisition of public, private, and government lands to be used for public recreation and non-motorized transit; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the Senate concurring, the Department of Transportation (DOT), in conjunction with the Department of Land and Natural Resources, is requested to develop a statewide greenbelts strategy to promote identification or development of transportation management systems that are based on the reduction of automobile use or alternatives to the automobile, pursuant to Chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes, while preserving the natural resources and beauty of the state; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DOT is requested to submit a report to the Legislature on the status of the strategy, including any proposed legislation, no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation and Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Statewide Greenbelts Strategy