HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

87

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO INVESTIGATE EXISTING CONFLICTS BETWEEN ORGANIZED WATER SPORTS EVENTS AND INDIVIDUAL RECREATIONAL USERS AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE WATERS AND BEACHES OF THE STATE.

 

 

WHEREAS, Hawaii's waters have become internationally famous for providing ideal conditions for various sports such as surfing, sailing, windsurfing, outrigger canoeing, kayaking, and swimming; and

WHEREAS, with its enactment of sections 5-13.5 and 5-14, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Legislature bestowed recognition upon surfing and outrigger canoe paddling (racing) as the State of Hawaii's official individual and team sports, respectively; and

WHEREAS, these factors have resulted in a significant increase in the number and frequency of organized water sports events scheduled over the last several years; and

WHEREAS, as an example, the number of events held in waters surrounding the island of Oahu during calendar year 2000 totaled 348, covering 736 event days; and

WHEREAS, permits for the use of coastal waters by organized water sports must be obtained by the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation; and

WHEREAS, most of these events require the appropriate combination of wind, surf, and sea conditions before a successful competition can begin; and

WHEREAS, certain permits, such as surfing contests, are scheduled to be held within a two-week period while waiting for suitable contest conditions to occur; and

WHEREAS, the majority of these events also require use of adjacent shoreline or beach areas for staging and support of event activities; and

WHEREAS, most events are also held in waters fronting beach parks under the jurisdiction of the various counties that also require permits for use of the park areas; and

WHEREAS, sequential scheduling of the most popular sites for certain events may result in excluding these areas from use by the general public; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the Senate concurring, that the Board of Land and Natural Resources is hereby requested to work with the various counties, event sponsors, and local communities to develop appropriate guidelines or rules as necessary regarding limiting the number of events scheduled for specific locations, or by other means to ensure that equitable opportunities are made for the use of these areas by the general public at appropriate times; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, and the mayors of the City and County of Honolulu, the County of Kauai, the County of Maui, and the County of Hawaii.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

BLNR; Water Sports Conflicts