STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1192

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 129

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.R. No. 129 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO LEASE CERTAIN PUBLIC LANDS TO THE COUNTY OF HAWAII AND WAIMEA TRAILS AND GREENWAYS TO BE USED AS A TRAILHEAD AND COUNTY PARK,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to encourage the Department of Land and Natural Resources to lease public land to the County of Hawaii and Waimea Trails and Greenways project to allow the land to be used as a trailhead and county park.

     Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

     Your Committees find that Waimea Trails and Greenways project and the County of Hawaii seek to acquire 17.6 acres of public land, identified as Tax Map Key 6-6-001:010 in Lalamilo to be used as a trailhead and county park.  Waimea Trails and Greenways project and the County of Hawaii are extremely interested in the subject land, as it would allow the first phase of the Waimea Trails and Greenways project to connect to Kawaiahae Road at two places.  The subject land is currently under lease to a private party who has indicated that it would be willing to exchange the subject land for another parcel.

     The trail effort was begun in 1994 as a community based Waimea Main Street Project and continues to meet every Monday to advocate for the trail.  In 1995, the County of Hawaii accepted it as a project under the Department of Parks and Recreation.  The Waimea Trails and Greenways project would provide an alternative mode of transportation through the town of Waimea, a safe place of recreation and exercise, and easy access and enjoyment of public lands and resources.  Through community workdays and organizing volunteers from local schools and other groups, the Waimea Trails and Greenways Committee has cleared the corridor, removed fallen trees from the trail way and stream, made wood chips, and maintained the trail.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the language urging the Department of Land and Natural Resources to lease the land to the County of Hawaii and Waimea Trails and Greenways;

     (2)  Inserting language to urge the County of Hawaii to continue negotiations with the private lessee of state land to mutually cancel the lease or, alternatively, to obtain a public easement in favor of the County to allow the County to proceed with its plans for the Waimea Trails and Greenways trailhead and county park;

     (3)  Amending the title accordingly; and

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

     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 concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 129, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 129, S.D. 1.

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