STAND. COM. REP. NO. 156

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1313

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1313 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to abolish the Hawaii Community Development Authority.

     This measure also transfers jurisdiction of public lands currently under the control and authority of the Hawaii Community Development Authority to the Department of Land and Natural Resources and transfers zoning authority over these lands to the City and County of Honolulu.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by two public citizens.  One county agency supported the intent of the measure.  Testimony in opposition was submitted by three state agencies and one organization.  Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committees find that despite State Auditor reports that show an annual surplus of funds for Kewalo Basin, the facilities have been allowed to become run down and deteriorate.  Additionally, recent decisions approving up to twenty commercial and residential high-rise towers fail to take account of the anticipated increase in traffic gridlock and congestion.  Your Committees note that transferring jurisdiction from the Hawaii Community Development Authority to other agencies may improve the management of these public lands.

     Your Committees further find that with the economic downturn affecting the state budget, a comprehensive reexamination of the structure of state government is necessary to ensure that all available avenues have been explored to accomplish more with fewer resources.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Transferring the portion of the Kakaako Community Development District that is makai of Ala Moana Boulevard to the Department of Land and Natural Resources;

     (2)  Transferring the portion of the Kakaako Community Development District that is mauka of Ala Moana Boulevard to the City and County of Honolulu; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1313, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1313, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair

____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair