STAND. COM. REP. NO.  146

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1477

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1477 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LAND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permit overnight campgrounds on private property on certain agricultural lands.

Pele Lani Farm LLC and Hawaii Opaeula supported this measure.  The Land Use Commission, Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and a concerned individual opposed the measure.  The Department of Agriculture and Office of Planning submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting its provisions;

     (2)  Establishing a five-year pilot program within the Department of Agriculture to allow overnight campgrounds on private property on certain agricultural lands in the Kau district of Hawaii island;

     (3)  Allowing users of the private overnight campgrounds to bring pet dogs with them;

     (4)  Changing its effective date to July 31, 2150, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     Your Committee believes that it will be beneficial for residents of and visitors to Hawaii to have access to additional campgrounds and a better experience for campers to be able to bring pet dogs with them.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1477, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1477, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

____________________________

RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair