STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3292

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2523

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 2523 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LAND USE COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to amend the Land Use Commission's decision making criteria for petitions to reclassify land to include the County General Plan and all community, development, or community development plans adopted pursuant to the county general plan.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting, Hawaii Association of Realtors, State Office of Planning, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and two members of the County Council of the County of Maui.  The University of Hawaii Environmental Center submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee finds that land use decisions that affect residents living and working within a county should be made at the level closest to those people.  This measure will ensure that the Land Use Commission gives due consideration to the policy and decisions of the counties as expressed in the county general plans.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2523, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair