STAND. COM. REP. NO.  2054

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.C.R. No. 259

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 259 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO ASSIST IN THE PERPETUATION OF AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES ON THE EWA PLAINS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to promote and protect farming operations on the Ewa plains of Oahu by requesting:

     (1)  The Department of Agriculture (DOA) to facilitate the relocation of farms in the Ewa plains currently on land leased by D.R. Horton and expected to be displaced by residential development;

     (2)  The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to examine the feasibility of conducting a land exchange for a parcel between Farrington Highway and the H-1 Freeway on which a farm baseyard currently exists; and

     (3)  DLNR to initiate the exchange of land should it be deemed feasible.

     Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation supported this concurrent resolution.  DOA supported the intent of this measure.  D.R. Horton, Schuler Division opposed this measure.  DLNR and the Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu submitted comments.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 259 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ KEN ITO, Chair

____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Chair