House Committee on Water & Land (WAL) - chair: Ryan I. Yamane, vice chair: Ty J.K. Cullen

Friday, February 13, 2015, 10:30 A..M. Conference Room 325

Testifier: Karen Ah Mai, Legislative Committee Member, LWV of Hawaii

Click here to view HB828

Chair Yamane, Vice-Chair Culllen, and Committee Members The League of Women Voters of Hawaii opposes HB828, relating to land use and changes to the role of the Land Use Commission. The League of Women Voters of Hawaii supports comprehensive planning as the basis for land use decisions and a device to insure coordination and cooperation between state and county planning. HB828 effectively subjugates State goals to county and community desires, eliminates State concerns, eliminates Native Hawaiian traditional and customary rights, and denies contested case hearings. Putting county and community plans in the priority position without State standards and guidelines leads to inconsistent implementation of land use policies and vulnerability of the process to developer pressure and local whims which may not serve the long-term good. We urge you to hold this bill. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony.