STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3631
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.C.R. No. 210
S.D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Government Operations and Water and Land, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 210 entitled:
"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY GARDEN ON THE EAST LAWN OF THE STATE CAPITOL,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to request that the Department of Accounting and General Services and Department of Land and Natural Resources work with the City and County of Honolulu to establish a community garden on the east lawn of the Hawaii State Capitol.
Your Committees
received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and
Natural Resources, Hawaii Seed Growers Network, and Hawaiʻi Farm
Bureau.
Your Committees
received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.
Your Committees find
that community gardens can produce substantial amounts of healthy, local
produce, thereby contributing to the achievement of the State's local food
production goals. Your Committees
recognize that the east lawn of the State Capitol is underutilized and that
establishing a community garden on this underutilized area would reaffirm the
State's commitment to sustainability, community, and transparency.
Your Committees note the concerns raised in testimony that establishment of a community garden on the east lawn of the State Capitol may have structural impacts on the State Capitol's underground parking garage, including the increase in water usage to sustain the garden damaging the garage's lights and electrical wiring. Furthermore, given the historic nature of the site, consultation with the State Historic Preservation Division may be necessary. Testimony also raised concerns as to the lack of sufficient parking near the site, which may create hardship for the community to utilize the garden. Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to address these concerns.
Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:
(1) Deleting language that references the State Capitol and its east lawn;
(2) Inserting language that requests the Department of Accounting and General Services and Department of Land and Natural Resources to work with the City and County of Honolulu to establish community gardens on underutilized public land;
(3) Amending its title to reflect its amended purpose; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments
for the purposes of clarity and consistency.
Your Committees note that this measure, as amended, does not condone the immediate establishment of community gardens in public infrastructure.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 210, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 210, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Water and Land,
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________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair |
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________________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair |
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