STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2752

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1368

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1368, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure effective timing of development on planned or approved urban or rural land classification.

     More specifically, this measure requires the Land Use Commission to establish a "use‑it‑or‑lose‑it policy" under which a petition must include and meet deadlines for substantial development progress in order to be approved for reclassification to the urban or rural district.  Additionally, the measure requires the Land Use Commission to hold statewide hearings to receive public input in developing this policy and to submit a report of the recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor.

     The Office of Planning submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The City and County of Honolulu submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that there are instances where lands that have been reclassified by the Land Use Commission to the urban or rural district remain undeveloped for many years after the reclassification.  During this time, circumstances may have changed in a manner that significantly impacts the original development proposal and therefore warrants review of the reclassification.  Your Committee further finds that this measure will help reduce premature reclassifications and curb speculative land banking.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount; and

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1368, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1368, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair