URGENT!
Hawaii’s Land Use Protections Are About To Be Gutted
Please EMAIL Senators and Representatives now and tell them to
VOTE AGAINST HB 676 CD1.
The floor vote is tomorrow, May 2nd!
The Land Use Commission is an important entity that can say how much land can move from conservation, agricultural, or rural land district designations to urban districts, where much more development is allowed. Recently, without offering an opportunity for the public to testify, a legislative conference committee made some very big changes to House Bill 676, which would make new rules about district boundaries. The result is HB 676, CD1:
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2023/bills/HB676_CD1_.HTM
This bill originally would have allowed the counties to redistrict lands up to 30 acres in size, but only if it was for 100% affordable housing, and only if the counties owned the land.
In the conference committee on Friday – where no one could testify – legislators increased the acreage to 100 acres and added a new paragraph (e) which could mean this power is for any project, regardless of ownership, and regardless of whether or not it is for affordable housing. This is something that, when given the opportunity, the public has spoken out against many times in the past.
These amendments will allow for large scale land use changes that will have detrimental impacts on environmental, cultural, agricultural, socioeconomic and other public interests for generations.
The Legislature is scheduled for a floor vote on this bill, TOMORROW, Tuesday, May 2nd. Please EMAIL Senators and Representatives NOW and urge them to VOTE AGAINST HB 676 CD1.
Please email all legislators by using the following addresses:
reps@capitol.hawaii.gov
sens@capitol.hawaii.gov
Mahalo for protecting Maui’s quality of life!