STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2351

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2274

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2274 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABLE LIVING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to promote the Hawaii 2050 sustainability plan and ensure the development of innovative, responsible, and sustainable practices that are vital to Hawaii's future by establishing a sustainable living research permit.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Sustainable Community Alliance and six individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and one individual.

     Your Committees find that populations are increasing while resources are decreasing.  The result is a need for more sustainable and environmentally appropriate living.  Sustainable and environmentally appropriate living is presently inhibited due to zoning regulations that control and regulate conventional development.  Some innovations for more sustainable development can only be researched and tested from outside the confines of our existing mechanisms.

The short-range goal of sustainable research sites is to develop sustainable resources and practices such as community resource sharing, natural or recycled building materials, thermal and solar heating or cooling systems, renewable power generation, water harvesting, contained sewage treatment systems, and food production.  The long-term goal of these sites is to develop research that will contribute to emergency preparedness development in Hawaii and to further the intentions of the Hawaii 2050 sustainability plan.

     Your Committees note the concerns expressed by the Department of Agriculture that while it supports efforts to increase food production and promote agricultural education, the Department is uncertain as to the role and magnitude that agricultural activities and uses will have in these "sustainable living research sites".  The Department's concern is that these sites may evolve into urban-like areas over time.  The Department recommends that the counties, as they develop their ordinances and rules for sustainable living research site permits, carefully scrutinize land uses and activities proposed in this measure that are not specifically related to agricultural production and activities.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2274 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair

____________________________ MALAMA SOLOMON, Chair