STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3663

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 258

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.C.R. No. 258 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF STATE PLANNING TO COORDINATE THE CITY AND STATE AGENCIES IN ADDRESSING THE OVERGROWTH OF VEGETATION ON KAHALA BEACH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request that the Office of State Planning coordinate agencies of the State and the City and County of Honolulu in addressing the overgrowth of vegetation on Kahala Beach.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Office of Planning, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that in November 2007, an inspection of Kahala Beach was conducted by city and state agencies and community members.  The inspection revealed extensive vegetative growth of hau, naupaka, and other plant species that are growing on the beach corridor blocking the beach at high tide.  As observed at the inspection, as a result of induced growth the vegetation does not demarcate the legal shoreline as it often does at other beaches. 

     Your Committee further finds that the property jurisdiction along this corridor is shared by the State and the City and County of Honolulu.  In response to the induced growth of vegetation along the corridor, community members such as the Kahala Community Association and the Neighborhood Board No. 3 intend to communicate with private property owners along Kahala Beach to request their voluntary cooperation and to discuss alternatives, as a first step rather than having government agencies issuing citations and taking other official actions.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 258, and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair