STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2837

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 29

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 29 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE OF HAWAII TO TAKE THE SAME POSITION AS THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO DEVELOP KAPOLEI AS THE "SECOND CITY","

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the State to take the same position as the City and County of Honolulu to develop Kapolei as the "Second City".

     Your Committees did not receive any testimony on this measure.

     Your Committees find that in the early 1970s, the City and County of Honolulu's Planning Department began a general plan revision program that focused on directing growth to Ewa.  The general plan revision program culminated with the adoption of a new Oahu general plan in 1977 and designated the city of Kapolei as a "Secondary Urban Center" in order to "relieve developmental pressures in the urban fringe and rural areas".  Because such development would ideally provide relief from horrific traffic congestion and more evenly distribute the rapidly increasing population, the State, county agencies, private developers, and former Governor John Waihee began advocating for urban development in other regions of Oahu.

     Your Committees further find that developing Kapolei as a "Second City" will be a prime example of state and county coordination in meeting the housing and population problems on Oahu, which will help direct future legislation toward more economic development, including jobs, housing, emerging industries, and education, to Leeward Oahu.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 29 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair

____________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair