HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

139

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING the counties to ADDRESS THE HAZARDS OF ROCK AND LAND SLIDES ON OUR URBAN POPULATIONS.

 

 

WHEREAS, our island State is made up of volcanic mountains rising from the ocean floor that have been exposed to the natural forces of weather and erosion for millennia; and

WHEREAS, we are reminded of these powerful natural forces by the tragic incidents involving the loss of life and serious injuries in our state parks and urban residential areas due to rock and land slides; and

WHEREAS, not only are lives lost, but substantial property damage is suffered by our residents and lives are interrupted by necessary evacuation from residences due to rock and land slides; and

WHEREAS, in several recent instances, rock slides have closed Kamehameha Highway at Waimea Bay and at Makapuu and Kalanianaole Highway at Castle Junction on Oahu, requiring substantial remedial work to be done to protect against repeat slides and potential tragic losses; and

WHEREAS, while we may not be able to change or control the forces of nature, certain precautions can and must be undertaken to protect our people from these tragic incidents; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, that each county Council, and the county agencies in each county responsible for land use decision-making, enforcing building codes, and issuing building permits are requested to address the hazards of rock and land slides in their respective counties; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each county is requested to consider, among others, the following issues:

(1) Determining the most comprehensive and expeditious manner of identifying lands that are hazardous to human activities and occupation due to the potential for land and rock slides;

(2) Establishing criteria for identifying or predicting other hazardous areas of potential land or rock slides;

(3) Determining the effectiveness of buffer zones and the utilization of barriers, screening, and other measures to protect against and prevent future injury or damage from land and rock slides;

(4) Proposing amendments to county zoning laws establishing buffer zones near identified hazardous lands and regulating the uses and activities allowed near or within hazardous lands; and

(5) Proposing amendments to county building codes establishing new building and construction standards for improvements and structures to be built in or near hazardous lands; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council Chairperson of each county is requested to report the findings and recommendations of the county, including proposed legislation, to the Legislature twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2005; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of each county Council, and to the Mayor of each county, who in turn is requested to transmit copies to the director of the county agencies responsible for land use decision-making, the

enforcement of building codes, and the issuing of building permits.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Requesting the Counties Address Hazardous Lands