STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3379

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2526

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2526, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE PLAN,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to promote smart growth principles and sustainability by adding an objective in the State Plan to require that land development be in compliance with smart growth principles and by adopting the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Amends chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by adding an objective to the State Plan that requires land development be in compliance with smart growth principles, and lists ten smart growth principles to guide land development;

 

     (2)  Sets forth and adopts the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan as a new chapter under title 13, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

     (3)  Establishes a Sustainability Council to coordinate, implement, measure, and evaluate the progress of the Hawaii Sustainability Plan and its related activities; and

 

     (4)  Makes a blank appropriation to the Office of the Auditor to expend for the creation of the Sustainability Council.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii and the Hawaii Association of Realtors.  The Office of Planning, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism submitted comments.

 

     Your Committees find that given Hawaii's limited natural resources, the implementation of smart growth principles is crucial to the sustainability of the State.  Smart growth principles are successful when government agencies make combined and coordinated systematic changes that are consistent with community planning and development, and land preservation.

 

     Furthermore, to better define and implement state goals, objectives, policies, and priority guidelines, your Committees recognize that the Legislature enacted Act 8, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, which created the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force to review the Hawaii State Plan and the State's planning process.  The Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan provides a framework for addressing vital quality-of-life and public policy issues, including land and water use, energy, public infrastructure, economic development, transportation, education, the arts, and health, and provides strategies to meet the needs of Hawaii's residents now and in the future.

 

     Developing the Sustainability Plan required a tremendous amount of time, energy, and resources, however, the members of the Task Force were committed to providing a plan that creates a sustainable vision for Hawaii.  Extensive community engagement meetings were conducted statewide to allow an opportunity for the public to engage in the process of creating a sustainable future for Hawaii, and for the task force to gain insights from the public on their visions and hopes for the future.  Thus, the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan is the "People's Plan" as it incorporates the community's input and visions within its sustainability goals and objectives.

 

     Your Committees further find that the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan is an important tool and guiding force for the State and that community engagement is vital for the development, implementation, and longevity of the plan.  Thus, it is important that the combined efforts of the Task Force, government and private sectors, and the community in creating the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan are recognized, set forth, and implemented.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2526, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2526, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing and Ways and Means,

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

 

____________________________

RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair