STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3328

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2527

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2527, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SMART GROWTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to promote smart growth and sustainability by requiring the Office of Planning to develop and promote the use of smart growth principles in new and existing communities.

     Specifically, this measure requires the Office of Planning to coordinate efforts to incorporate the principles of smart growth in new and existing communities in the State and sets out those principles.  The Office of Planning is to report annually to the Legislature on its activities and the implementation of smart growth projects in each preceding calendar year.

     This measure also establishes a process, and provides incentives, by which developers of residential communities may elect to develop sustainable communities in the State that will:

(1)  Generate at least fifty per cent of all of the energy requirements for the entire community under development;

(2)  Implement a comprehensive recycling program;

(3)  Implement an extensive community wastewater recycling and treatment management system;

(4)  Implement an extensive water conservation management plan;

(5)  Protect and preserve open space;

(6)  Promote and encourage visitation to any nearby cultural or historical sites, public beaches, shores, trails, and other outdoor recreational areas; and

(7)  Provide affordable housing units by designating at least thirty per cent of all residential units as affordable housing.

     This measure also requires the Office of Planning to develop a plan to establish a statewide system for greenways and trails.  The measure takes effect on July 1, 2050.

     The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the City and County of Honolulu, the Hawaii Association of Realtors, and the Windward Ahupuaa Alliance offered comments.

     Your Committee finds that the purposes of this measure deserve further consideration and discussion.

     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 H.B. No. 2527, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair