SCR206

WHEREAS, Hawaii is a unique and beautiful lei of islands in the Pacific Ocean and the only Pacific island state; and

WHEREAS, for many, Hawaii is the ideal place to live and has been second-to-none for a preferred quality of life; and

WHEREAS, it is the government's responsibility, not only to identify the goals of the State that are important for present and future generations, but also to improve and maintain the quality of life for individuals and communities and the quality and sustainability of the islands for residents and visitors alike; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature accordingly called for a comprehensive statewide plan in 1975, which was codified the Hawaii State Plan, chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in 1978; and

WHEREAS, the unifying theme of the Hawaii State Plan is to preserve and protect the healthy social, economic, and physical environments that benefit the community as a whole; and

WHEREAS, one of the three Hawaii State Plan goals is "[a] desired physical environment, characterized by beauty, cleanliness, quiet, stable natural systems, and uniqueness, that enhances the mental and physical well-being of the people"; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to sections 226-11 through 226-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the plan's objectives and policies for the physical environment include planning to protect land-based, shoreline, and marine resources; scenic, natural beauty, and historic resources; and land, air, and water quality; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Plan also sets priority guidelines in planning for population growth and land resources, including the identification of critical environmental areas in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, these critical environmental areas include scenic and recreational shoreline resources, open space and natural areas, historic and cultural sites, and scenic resources; and

WHEREAS, climate change continues to affect the coastal areas of the State, and green strategies in urban design and planning are needed to adapt our shoreline communities and mitigate the effects of rising sea levels; and

WHEREAS, late landscape architect Lewis Mumford introduced the Lei of Green planning policy to the Honolulu City and County Park Board in 1938, to promote walkability, recreation, safety and connectivity within urban cities; and

WHEREAS, the Lei of Green links green parks, open space, recreation areas, and greenways mauka to makai along the shoreline, while interconnecting tree-lined pedestrian paths for shade and climate control; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects began placing greater emphasis on the Lei of Green in 1999, and the Hawaii Community Development Authority incorporated the policy as a guiding principle in the Kakaako Makai Master Plan in 2011; and

WHEREAS, a well-known example of this long-standing policy is the Lei of Parks, which established through the Honolulu Bicycle Master Plan in 1999. The Lei of Parks is an interconnected multi-use system of public parks, green recreational open spaces, and historic landscapes along Honolulu's shoreline from Diamond Head to Aloha Tower; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature passed Act 54, Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, requiring the Department of Transportation and the county transportation departments to adopt a policy of complete streets. A policy of complete streets is a nationwide strategy to plans and develops roadways that accommodate the safety and convenience of all roadway users, including those who do not drive or choose to use alternative methods of transportation; and

WHEREAS, in 2012, the Honolulu City Council passed Ordinance 12-15, establishing a complete streets policy for the City and County of Honolulu; and

WHEREAS, currently there are eight complete street projects in progress across Oahu, most of which cover the Waikiki, Ala Moana, and Downtown Honolulu areas; and

WHEREAS, the Lei of Parks remains incomplete with certain gaps, which include, but are not limited to, a missing path linking Ala Moana Beach Park to Kewalo Basin Park and a missing path linking the west end of Kakaako Waterfront Park to Keawe Street; and

WHEREAS, there is a need for coordination among different agencies and levels of government to ensure the continued protection and preservation of the Lei of Parks and to guide the future development plan for the State; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2020, the House of Representatives concurring, that the State and the City and County of Honolulu are urged to work in partnership to complete the Lei of Green from Waikiki to West Oahu to provide a working model for the statewide expansion of green spaces; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as a priority of the Lei of Green, the City and County of Honolulu complete the connection of the Lei of Parks from Diamond Head to Aloha Tower; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources,

Director of the Office of Planning, and Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Lei of Green Policy; Hawaii State Plan; Green Spaces

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	206
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020
STATE OF HAWAII