STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1078

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1230

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Water, Land, and Housing and Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1230, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BUILDING PERMITS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to exempt from the county permitting process the construction of low-risk nonresidential agricultural and aquacultural structures, under certain conditions.   

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the East Oahu County Farm Bureau; Aquaculture Planning and Advocacy LLC; Oceanic Institute; Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association; Hawaii Agriculture Research Center; Kunia Water Cooperative; Deeo Blue Research; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; Day2 Resources LLC; Analytical Services Inc.; Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; Island Harvest Inc.; and six individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu, State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, Kauai Fire Department, and Department of Fire and Public Safety of the County of Maui.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

 

     Your Committees find that nonresidential agricultural and aquacultural buildings are often required to meet the same county permitting requirements as commercial buildings and buildings used for human habitation.  This measure will reduce the start-up and expansion costs incurred by local farmers by allowing the expeditious and efficient construction of small, low-risk, nonresidential structures used for agricultural or aquacultural operations.  Farmers will be able to use readily available, low‑cost structures to store materials, equipment, and other supplies while also protecting their assets against inclement weather, vandalism, and theft.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Including the raising of animals under the definition of "agricultural" as it relates to operations conducted by certain structures, exempting those structures from county building permitting under this measure; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Water, Land, and Housing and Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1230, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1230, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Water, Land, and Housing and Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs,

 

____________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

 

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair