STAND. COM. REP. NO.  586

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 408

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 408 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to create a buffer zone to protect farming operations from urbanization, contamination, and development, by prohibiting industrial, commercial, or residential development, or infrastructure serving the development within 1,000 feet from the property line of any farming operation.

 

     The Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Lalamilo Farm Lots Association, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Kauai County Farm Bureau supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu, and the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii opposed this bill. 

 

     Upon further consideration, your Committees have amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Changing the width of the buffer zone from 1,000 feet to

          an unspecified width;

 


     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to

          encourage further discussion; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style,

          clarity, and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 408, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 408, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture,

 

 

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair

 

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair