STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1600-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2997

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2997, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure the long-term availability of visually, culturally, and historically valuable lands, such as the pineapple fields of the Galbraith Trust located north of Wahiawa, Oahu, by:

(1)  Allowing the designation of certain agricultural lands as historic agricultural landmarks by law based on their special historic, cultural, and visual value to the state;

(2)  Providing incentives for designation as historic agricultural landmarks similar to the proposed incentives for important agricultural lands under section 205-46, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

(3)  Designating certain Galbraith Trust lands as a historic agricultural landmark.

     The Office of Planning supported the intent of this bill.  The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Association of REALTORS, and the George Galbraith Estate opposed this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting, Alexander and Baldwin, Inc., Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company, and Kauai Coffee Company, Inc., provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2997, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair