STAND. COM. REP. NO. 614

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 1287

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 1287 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE PLANNING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to include objectives and policies and implementation guidelines for planning for the lei of green in the Hawaii State Planning Act.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from The Trust for Public Land, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Hawaii Audubon Society, Lei of Parks Coalition, Hawaii Bicycling League, Kakaako Makai Community Planning Advisory Council, Oahu Island Parks Conservancy, Trees for Honolulu's Future, and four individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Planning.

 

     Your Committee finds that the lei of green was first brought forth by the renowned national planner Lewis Mumford to benefit the Territory of Hawaii, as a plan to link Honolulu's green parks, open space, recreation areas, and greenways mauka to makai along the shoreline, interconnected with tree-lined pedestrian paths for shade and climate control.  While your Committee understands the importance of focusing the lei of green in the urban area of Honolulu from Diamond Head to Aloha Tower, your Committee believes that a lei of green plan should be considered at a statewide level.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

Your Committee notes that although this measure does not contain an appropriation, the Office of Planning's testimony requests an appropriation of $250,000 to plan the lei of green from Diamond Head to Aloha Tower.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1287, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1287, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

 

 

 

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair