STAND. COM. REP. NO.  686

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1212

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1212, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO URBAN REDEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address economic diversification and affordable housing shortages by establishing a Transit Oriented Development Authority (Authority) to plan and develop infrastructure at certain Honolulu rail transit stations that will support the planned growth and density of the rail transit project.

The Building Industry Association of Hawaii, The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, and Blue Planet Foundation testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu testified in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Human Services, Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Taxation, Department of Transportation, Office of Planning, and Stadium Authority provided comments on this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring that affordable housing be developed at multiple locations along the rail transit corridor;

     (2)  Amending the Authority's guidelines for the development of affordable housing projects to reflect more realistic goals;

     (3)  Deleting references to contested case hearings;

     (4)  Clarifying that the public shall have an opportunity to testify at a decision-making hearing prior to the Authority rendering a decision;

     (5)  Deleting the requirement that prior to approving any developer's proposal, the Authority shall consider the impact of each proposed project on certain areas of state concern;

     (6)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2150; and

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

     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. 1212, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1212, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair