HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

141

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO RECONSIDER THE EXISTING KALAELOA REDEVELOPMENT PLAN AND MAKE REVISIONS AS NECESSARY TO MAXIMIZE THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF THE KALAELOA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.

 

 

WHEREAS, the Legislature, recognizing the economic development potential of the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station, also known as the Kalaeloa Community Development District (Kalaeloa), passed legislation during the 2002 Regular Session of the Legislature to transfer redevelopment responsibility for Kalaeloa from the Barbers Point Naval Air Station Redevelopment Commission to the Hawaii Community Development Authority; and

WHEREAS, the two basic types of conveyances allowed under the Federal Base Realignment and Closure Act are Public Benefit Conveyances and Economic Development Conveyances; and

WHEREAS, most, if not all, successful base redevelopment has resulted from an Economic Development Conveyance in which the entire base was conveyed to one redevelopment entity that crafted a redevelopment plan, and then assigned land uses accordingly; and

WHEREAS, the Barbers Point Naval Air Station Redevelopment Commission elected to pursue Public Benefit Conveyances, which basically provided free land to local public agencies, based on the interest expressed by the respective agencies; and

WHEREAS, the result of this Public Benefit Conveyance process is not a true redevelopment plan, but rather an assignment of land ownership and land uses, without the comprehensive planning efforts required to ensure the short- and long-term success of the redevelopment; and

WHEREAS, the current plan allows only public uses on approximately 1,366 acres of the 1,921 acres that are included in the plan, with the only parcels available for possible economic development to be conveyed to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; and

WHEREAS, this disproportionate amount of public uses does not adequately address the State's immediate needs for job creation and revenue generation, nor the State's long-term needs for economic diversification; and

WHEREAS, it is unclear when the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will begin development of the various parcels it is to receive and what types of development will occur; and

WHEREAS, many of the land uses that have been assigned to public agencies are not developable for twenty to thirty years, due to fiscal shortfalls facing some government agencies; and

WHEREAS, some agencies are delaying conveyance of the properties due to their inability to pay for basic maintenance and security, let alone development; and

WHEREAS, the community has voiced increasing concerns about the significant deterioration of the area since base closure, including theft, vandalism, increased crime, and lack of landscape maintenance; and

WHEREAS, the physical and social deterioration of Kalaeloa will continue until comprehensive redevelopment can occur; and

WHEREAS, the current plan is undevelopable for twenty to thirty years, and Kalaeloa and the surrounding communities cannot withstand two or three decades of continued deterioration; and

WHEREAS, the State is looking toward diversifying its economy to include many other sectors of industry in addition to tourism; and

WHEREAS, the lands at Kalaeloa offer significant potential for industries such as biotechnology, deep ocean research, aviation education, film making, industrial aviation, eco-tourism, and vocational and higher education; and

WHEREAS, Kalaeloa presents an important opportunity for the State of Hawaii to develop new industries and expand its employment base; and

WHEREAS, proper planning for Kalaeloa will not only halt the deterioration of the area, but will create a strong, vibrant community that will address the economic, social, and recreational needs of the people of Hawaii; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature requests that the Hawaii Community Development Authority, together with the landowners in Kalaeloa, reconsider the existing Kalaeloa Redevelopment Plan and make revisions as necessary to maximize the social and economic development potential of the Kalaeloa Community Development District; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Community Development Authority is requested to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2004; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chair and Executive Director of the Hawaii Community Development Authority.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

HCDA; Kalaeloa Redevelopment Plan