STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2511

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3058

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology and Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 3058 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish procedures for designating public land redevelopment districts, planning committees, and district redevelopment plans;

(2) Establish the designated redevelopment district revolving fund;

(3) Modify public land lease restrictions;

(4) Establish the Waiakea peninsula redevelopment district, planning committee, and designated redevelopment district revolving fund, subject to repeal on June 30, 2028; and

(5) Appropriate funds for the purposes of this measure.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Mayor, County of Hawai‘i; County of Hawai‘i Planning Department; Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS; HPM Building Supply; Hawaii Island Economic Development Board; and five individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Life of the Land, League of Women Voters, and six individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committees find that more effort needs to be put towards redevelopment projects, specifically in the County of Hawaii. Banyan Drive is underutilized and in disrepair, requiring support to maintain the center of tourism for East Hawaii. Your Committees believe encouraging the revitalization of public lands has the potential to increase the value of land in the State, ultimately providing more revenue from taxes, such as the transient accommodations tax.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have modified public land lease restrictions;

(2) Requiring that district development plans for each designated district take into consideration the effect the plans will have on sea level rise and climate change;

(3) Deleting the provision that would have allowed district development plans to supersede all other inconsistent ordinances and rules relating to the use, planning, development, and construction on public land in a designated district; 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 Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3058, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3058, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology and Water and Land,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair