HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

143

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

requesting state departments to acknowledge, support, and accept the city and county's master plan for redevelopment of the pearl harbor historic trail.

 

WHEREAS, the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail (Historic Trail) is an inter-community project supported by the City and County of Honolulu as a means of attracting new, locally-owned businesses into the economically disadvantaged communities along the Pearl Harbor shoreline, the Ewa plain, and the Waianae Coast; and

WHEREAS, the Historic Trail uses the right-of-way (ROW) for the Oahu Rail & Line train as a potential eco-tourism attraction through development of a multi-use pedestrian/bike path alongside an operating historical train operated by the Hawaiian Railway Society; and

WHEREAS, the ROW is designed to provide culturally and environmentally sensitive access to wetlands and wildlife preserves, native Hawaiian culture sites, historic and educational sites, as well as recreational facilities and parks; and

WHEREAS, the ROW is part of the Leeward Bike Path, (Bike Path) which the State is obligated to develop as part of a land swap with the U.S. Navy; and

WHEREAS, the City and County of Honolulu has developed, and is in the process of adopting, a comprehensive, award-winning master plan for the Historic Trail, which provides a ready framework for State involvement; and

WHEREAS, a nonprofit organization, the Friends of Pearl Harbor Historic Trail, is also active in the community, providing a conduit for partnerships with local community groups and other nonprofits; and

WHEREAS, acceptance of the Historic Trail concept and plan eliminates redundant planning and offers opportunities for partnerships at the federal, state, and city levels, as well as synergies to develop sustainable tourism, new visitor attractions, and livable communities for Hawaii residents; and

WHEREAS, beginning with the USS Arizona Memorial/USS Missouri/USS Bowfin attraction cluster, the path/train is designed to travel along the ROW through the communities of Aiea, Pearl City, and Waipahu, stopping at historic sites, transit depots, and cultural attractions; and

WHEREAS, this portion of the Historic Trail, which is controlled by the City and County of Honolulu, is envisioned as an urban trail, similar to the San Antonio Riverwalk, with shops, restaurants, and mixed residential areas; and

WHEREAS, the state-controlled portion of the Historic Trail, which runs adjacent to the Bike Path, travels through Waipahu, West Loch, Ewa, Ko Olina Resort, and up the Waianae Coast to Nanakuli, where the ROW terminates; and

WHEREAS, the Historic Trail and train have the potential to support native Hawaiian economic enterprises along the ROW, with smaller footprint infrastructure requirements than buses and automobiles; and

WHEREAS, the Historic Trail and train also provide ecologically sensitive access to wetlands and wilderness attractions such as Pouhala Marsh and the National Wildlife Refuge at Honouliuli and Pearl Harbor; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature supports the Historic Trail as a lynchpin for sustainable economic redevelopment of the Pearl Harbor shoreline, Ewa plain, and the Leeward/Waianae Coast; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Departments of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Transportation (DOT), and Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) are requested to accept the City and County's master plan for the Historic Trail to support the further development of the ROW, the Bike Path, and the Historic Trail; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DLNR, DOT, and DBEDT submit a report of actions taken by the State to support further development of the ROW, the Bike Path, and the Historic Trail to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2005; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation, the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the Governor, and the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu.

Report Title:

Pearl Harbor Historic Trail; support and recognition