STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1197

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.R. No. 86

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.R. No. 86 entitled:

 

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU IN COORDINATION WITH THE HONOLULU AUTHORITY FOR RAPID TRANSPORTATION TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF RAIL,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the City and County of Honolulu, in coordination with the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, to:

 

(1)  Develop a plan to generate revenue via transit-oriented development near rail stations to include the development of housing and employment clusters;

 

(2)  Identify locations where tax increment financing or community facilities districts may be established to generate revenues that can be used for construction, operations, and maintenance of the Honolulu rail transit project;

 

(3)  Review land use ordinances of lands that lie

within one half mile of rail stations and implement measures to amend zoning, as necessary, to allow for transit-oriented development in those areas to include but not be limited to commercial, residential, and mixed-use development;

 

(4)  Identify areas of employment concentration and opportunities for future transit investments; and

 

(5)  Expend any proceeds from an extension of the 0.5 percent general excise tax surcharge on construction only, and not for rail operation or maintenance costs.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Honolulu rail transit project presents development opportunities for housing and job creation as rail riders will demand employment and housing opportunities in station areas.  Strong housing and employment connections are vital for rail transit to fulfill its potential to address goals of accessibility, stronger regional economies, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.  Value capture strategies such as tax increment financing or community facilities districts can generate revenues that can be used to pay for construction, operations, and maintenance of the Honolulu rail transit project.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 86 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair