HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

140

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING A TASK FORCE BE ORGANIZED 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 and, since its birth, has been subjected to the natural forces of weather and erosion; and

WHEREAS, we are reminded of these powerful natural forces by the tragic incidents in our state parks and urban residential areas where lives have been lost due to rock and land slides; and

WHEREAS, not only are lives lost, but our residents suffer substantial property damage due to rock and land slides; and

WHEREAS, in several recent instances, rock slides have also closed major highways, 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 the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources is requested to establish a task force made up of representatives from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Office of Planning, University of Hawaii College of Engineering, University of Hawaii Institute of Geophysics, and the respective county Planning Departments, along with practicing and consulting geologists, licensed soils and structural engineers, the Attorney General, major landowners of hillside property that are subject to rock and land slides, and other interested persons; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to provide assistance to the task force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force 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 use 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 to establish buffer zones near identified hazardous lands and regulating the uses and activities allowed near or within hazardous lands;

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

(6) Liability as a result of identifying previously known, now known, and necessary legislation to protect government;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources is requested to report the findings and recommendations of the task force, including proposed legislation, 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 Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Director of Transportation, Director of the Office of Planning, Dean of the University of Hawaii College of Engineering, Director of the University of Hawaii Institute of Geophysics, and Director of Planning for each county, Attorney General, and the Acting Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Report Title:

Establishing a Task Force to Address Hazardous Lands