STAND. COM. REP. NO. 165

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 1070

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 1070 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNIVERSITY DISTRICTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide a framework that supports consistent land use planning and development across the University of Hawai‘i System through designation of university districts that create development policies and capital improvement programs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Planning and Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that the University of Hawaii System includes three university campuses and seven community college campuses located in each of the four counties. Each county has its unique zoning ordinances, planning, and permitting processes, as well as its own set of approvals and decision-making entities that include various departments, boards, commissions, and county councils. Jurisdictional variations lead to inconsistent regulatory processes across the various campuses, which make it difficult to strategically consider the University of Hawaii System as a whole. Your Committee finds that this measure allows the University of Hawaii President to propose to the Board of Regents that a campus be designated as a university district.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the exemption of university district developments within a special management area from special management area permits or shoreline setback variances;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1070, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1070, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education & Technology,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair