STAND. COM. REP. NO.  556-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1678

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1678 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to narrow the category of projects subject to review by the Department of Land and Natural Resources for historic preservation purposes by increasing the minimum age threshold for designation as historic property from fifty to seventy-five years and by exempting all residential real property that is not entered or nominated by its owner for entry onto the Hawaii Register of Historic Places from historic preservation review in connection with project or land use applications.

The Department of Design and Construction of the City and County of Honolulu, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Hawaii Bankers Association, and Hawaii Credit Union League submitted testimony in support of this measure.  Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, the Society for Hawaiian Archeology, and a few individuals submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources and Building Industry Association of Hawaii submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing changes to the minimum age threshold for designation as historic property;

     (2)  Specifying that a private residence that has neither been entered onto nor nominated by its owner for entry onto the Hawaii Register of Historic Places is specifically excluded from designation as historic property;

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and  

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1678, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1678, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair