STAND. COM. REP. NO.  632

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 489

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 489 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL BUILDING PERMITS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to encourage and support diversified agriculture and agricultural self-sufficiency in Hawaii by providing, under certain circumstances, an exemption from building code and permit requirements for nonresidential buildings or structures on farms.

Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; East Oahu County Farm Bureau; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Maui County Farm Bureau; Kauai County Farm Bureau; Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association; Friendly Aquaponics, Inc.; Primavera Aquaponics, LLC; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Maui Cattlemen's Association; Hawaii Crop Improvement Association; Local Food Coalition; Hawaii Tropical Flowers and Foliage Association Kauai Chapter; Kuahiwi Ranch; Maui Farmer's Union United; and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The State Fire Council, County of Maui Department of Public Works, Historic Hawaii Foundation, and a concerned individual opposed this measure.  The Department of Agriculture submitted comments.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     1)   Providing that the amended square-footage requirements in section 46-88(a)(1), Hawaii Revised Statutes, will be repealed on July 1, 2016, at which time the existing provisions will be reenacted; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Water & Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 489, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 489, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Water & Land,

____________________________ CINDY EVANS, Chair

____________________________ JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair