STAND. COM. REP. NO.  176

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 863

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 863 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ESTABLISHING A COUNTY TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE REVOLVING FUND,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to encourage coordinated urban development while reducing urban sprawl by creating a no-interest loan revolving fund to provide no-interest loans to the counties for the development, pre-development, or construction of infrastructure projects to expedite the building of transit-oriented development, particularly those projects involving affordable housing.

 

     The Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu, Building Industry Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Developers' Council, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Budget and Finance (B&F) opposed this measure.

 

     The City and County of Honolulu is about to embark on the largest public works project in the state's history, often referred to as the Honolulu High Capacity Transit Project (Project).


 

     The Project is expected to spur transit-oriented development all along the mass transit corridor. To accommodate the expected future growth in these areas, upgrades and improvements to increase capacity to infrastructure in these areas will be necessary.  Making these upgrades and replacements will result in more compact, dense, and coordinated development along this transportation corridor with an added benefit of reducing urban sprawl.

 

     Although your Committee understands the concerns raised by B&F regarding possible increases in general fund expenditures during these difficult economic times, these concerns can be reviewed and addressed by the Committee on Finance as this bill makes its way through the legislative process.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 863, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 863, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources and Housing.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair