STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1568

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.C.R. No. 195

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 195 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION TO CONVENE A JOINT HEARING WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND PERMITTING OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO CONSIDER THE LIKELY IMPACTS ON TRAFFIC BY THE PROPOSED TURTLE BAY RESORT EXPANSION AND MITIGATIVE MEASURES THAT MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE EXPANSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to ensure a safe, efficient, and accessible inter-modal transportation system to the North Shore of Oahu by requesting the Senate Committee on Transportation and International Affairs and House Committee on Transportation to convene a joint hearing with the participation of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu (DPP) to consider the likely impacts on traffic by the proposed Turtle Bay Resort expansion and measures to mitigate traffic congestion that may be required by this expansion.

     Keep the North Shore Country testified in support of this measure.  Kuilima Resort Company and a concerned individual testified in opposition to this measure.

     Planned expansion of the Turtle Bay Resort area in Kahuku have raised concerns by North Shore residents regarding the impacts this expansion would have on their community, particularly with regard to traffic and the environment.  Convening a joint hearing on the topic, with the cooperation and consultation of DOT and DPP, will allow the Legislature to better understand the concerns raised by North Shore residents and whether these concerns deserve further consideration.

     However, your Committee notes that suggestions made in this measure that the expansion project be halted until the joint hearing is concluded may be premature.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting language requesting DOT to delay issuing a written confirmation that it has no objections to approval of the City and County of Honolulu's final subdivision map of the Turtle Bay bulk lot subdivision until the conclusion of the joint committee hearings;

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 195, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committees on Tourism & Culture and Economic Development & Business Concerns in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 195, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair