Report Title:

State Greenbelts Plan

Description:

Requires DOT to establish a statewide greenbelts strategy. Establishes a steering committee.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2888

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to greenbelts.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"CHAPTER

GREENBELTS

§   -1 Purpose and intent. The department of transportation, in conjunction with the department of land and natural resources, shall develop a statewide greenbelts strategy to promote identification or development of transportation system management and alternatives to the automobile pursuant to chapter 226, while preserving the natural resources and beauty of the State. Greenbelts are corridors containing trails that link together parks and other scenic and historic attractions in an area.

Current land planning fosters dependency on personal automobiles by placing homes far from stores and jobs. Therefore, approximately ninety per cent of personal travel in Hawaii is by private automobiles, which pollutes the air, clogs highways, and wastes energy reserves. Typical suburban development also sprawls over the countryside, destroying Hawaii's natural beauty.

The State and the counties need to rethink their land use policies to reduce dependency on the personal automobile and imported oil used for travel. New policies shall promote mixed use pedestrian-oriented communities around transit hubs that blend reasonably-priced housing, work, and shopping areas and create neighborhoods that encourage walking and biking. Greenbelts:

(1) Promote non-motorized transportation modes, such as walking, jogging, hiking, bicycling, skating, and horseback riding;

(2) Create integrated ground transportation and recreational systems;

(3) Benefit urban, suburban, and rural habitats;

(4) Create and enhance recreational activities and opportunities;

(5) Enhance visitor attractions and associated business opportunities;

(6) Can be built using federal funding available under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act; and

(7) Provide a resource guideline for further acquisition of public, private, and government lands to be utilized for public recreation and non-motorized transit.

§   -2 Definition. As used in this chapter:

"Greenbelts" means a linear open space established along either a natural corridor, such as a stream or ridgeline, or established by humans, such as a trail, road, or former railway. Activities that are compatible with greenbelts include walking, jogging, hiking, bicycling, skating, skate-boarding, and horseback riding.

"Steering committee" means the greenbelts strategy steering committee.

§   -3 Development of a statewide greenbelts strategy. The department of transportation shall develop a statewide greenbelts strategy that incorporates existing and proposed non-motorized transportation and recreational master plans for each island.

§   -4 Establishment of greenbelts steering committee. The statewide greenbelts strategy shall be directed by a greenbelts strategy steering committee, placed within the department of transportation for administrative purposes. The objectives of the committee shall include:

(1) Assessing existing and potential lands for beautification projects, corridors, and linkages to create greenbelts on each island. These include existing and former railway lines, trails, creek and river corridors, roadways, and other areas that are underutilized and could be converted to public recreational use;

(2) Gathering information on other greenbelts programs throughout the United States and the world;

(3) Facilitating the coordination of the planning and implementation of greenbelts with federal, state, and county agencies, businesses, and citizens;

(4) Facilitating the coordination of the planning of sustainable communities for the State;

(5) Examining funding strategies from public and private sources to continue the efforts of the steering committee and to implement various projects;

(6) Proposing ways to educate and inform government officials and the public on the many benefits of greenbelts;

(7) Establishing further goals and strategies to create greenbelts in Hawaii, and setting priorities for their implementation through the Oahu metropolitan planning organization; and

(8) Promoting the health, safety, and welfare of the community by striving for a balance between motorized and non-motorized transit systems.

§   -5 Action plan. The steering committee shall develop recommendations containing details for the further development of a greenbelts strategy, including proposed timetables and budgets.

§   -6 Participation in the greenbelts strategy. The steering committee shall include the following members or their designated representatives:

(1) The chairperson of the board of land and natural resources;

(2) The director of transportation;

(3) The director of the office of planning;

(4) The director of the agency responsible for transportation from each county;

(5) The director of the planning department from each county;

(6) The chairperson of the University of Hawaii department of urban and regional planning;

(7) A representative of a citizen activist group from each of the islands; and

(8) A representative of a bicycle advocacy group.

§   -7 Compensation. Members of the steering committee shall serve on a voluntary basis and shall not receive compensation."

SECTION 2. The steering committee shall submit its action plan with recommendations for the further development of a greenbelts strategy to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2007.

Interested parties shall be afforded ample opportunity to participate in the planning, development, and implementation of the recommendations of the steering committee. The steering committee shall hold public meetings on all islands or, if that is not feasible, shall accept testimony and public opinion via the state video conferencing center, in the development of its recommendations.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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