STAND. COM. REP. NO. 865

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 504

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 504, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to enable the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to distribute its limited resources efficiently by establishing methods of determining single-family residences that are "historic property."

 

     More specifically, this measure:

 

(1)  Amends the definition of "historic property" to exclude privately owned single-family residences, unless the residence satisfies certain exceptions;

 

(2)  Appropriates moneys for the State Historic Preservation Division to conduct a survey to identify potential historic districts and single-family residences that may be eligible for listing on the Hawaii Register of Historic Places;

 

(3)  Requires the State Historic Preservation Division to notify owners of properties listed in paragraph (2) that their property may be eligible for listing on the Hawaii Register of Historic Places; and

 

(4)  Requires the State Historic Preservation Division to submit a report to the Legislature prior to the 2016 Regular Session.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Association of REALTORS, and two individuals.  Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Historic Hawaii Foundation, Society for Hawaiian Archeology, Building Industry Association Hawaii and one individual submitted written comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources reviews permits for proposed projects on historic properties, which includes single-family residences over fifty years old.  In coming years, many single-family residences will be fifty years old.  The permit review process may become more burdensome on the State Historic Preservation Division if many of these residences start construction, renovation, or repair projects.  Your Committee intends for this measure to remain a vehicle to assist the State Historic Preservation Division in addressing the issue of residences that are or will be deemed historic properties, due solely to the age of the structure.  Your Committee notes that requiring the State Historic Preservation Division to conduct a survey of districts and properties is still under consideration by your Committee.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting all provisions of this measure other than the appropriations; and

 

     (2)  Specifying that the appropriation from the historic preservation special fund shall be used to address issues surrounding historic residences, including but not limited to inventorying of residential structures that are fifty years old or older.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 504, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 504, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair