STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 216
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2025
RE: H.B. No. 1013
H.D. 1
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1013 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL LANDS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to:
(2) Authorize a landowner or lessee of important agricultural lands to apply to a county for a permit allowing the landowner or lessee to develop, construct, and maintain farm cluster housing;
(3) Require each county to enact ordinances to allow farm cluster housing on important agricultural lands;
(4) Establish requirements for farm cluster housing; and
(5) Repeal existing requirements for farm dwellings and employee housing on important agricultural lands.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United; and Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Land Use Commission and Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu.
Your Committee finds that Act 233, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, was enacted as an incentive to establish and sustain viable agricultural operations on important agricultural lands by allowing the development of certain farm dwellings and employee housing. However, this law created uncertainties about whether farm dwellings and employee housing on important agricultural lands were subject to additional restrictions. This measure will streamline the development of housing on important agricultural lands by providing an option for farm cluster housing, which will reduce development and infrastructure costs of such housing, reduce the footprint and amount of agricultural land used for housing, and ensure that the housing is occupied by bona fide farmers and farm employees.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Including a definition for "short-term vacation rental", as that term and similar terms are used in the applicable county ordinance;
(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and
(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1013, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1013, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,
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____________________________ LUKE A. EVSLIN, Chair |
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