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SECTION 6. Chapter 19, article 8, of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (1995 edition), is <br /> amended to read as follows: <br /> Article 8. [Reserved.] Dedications. <br /> Section 19-59. [Reserved.] Native forest dedications. <br /> u "Native forests" means lands which have sixty percent or greater native species forest <br /> cover. <br /> u Native species are defined as those species indigenous to the Hawaiian islands <br /> Indigenous in this context shall mean plants that became established or evolved <br /> in the Hawaiian islands without the aid of human beings <br /> u The forest cover requirement may be met by native species in either the tree <br /> laver or the understorv layer or a combination of the two• provided a minimum <br /> twenty-five percent of the forest cover shall contain tree cover <br /> <br /> jb) Native forest dedication process. <br /> An owner who desires to dedicate the land for native forestreservation for a <br /> period of twenty vears shall petition the director of finance and demonstrate in <br /> the petition that the land qualifies as native forest as provided herein The term <br /> "owner" includes lessees of real property whose term extends at least twenty <br /> years from the effective date of the dedication. <br /> f,A~ Any property five acres or larger within agricultural residential and <br /> agricultural. family agricultural, intensive agricultural and agricultural <br /> project districts. or open zoned districts. which is covered with at least five <br /> intact and contiguous acres of native forest is eligible for dedication as <br /> native forest property if it meets the classification requirements of native <br /> forest. <br /> u The petition shall be filed with the director of finance by September 1 of <br /> any calendar year and shall be approved or disapproved by December 15 <br /> If approved. the dedication shall be effective on J~ 1 of the following tax <br /> year. <br /> jc1 The director of finance shall determine whether or not land qualifies as <br /> native forest by using current natural resource or ve~c etation maps or other <br /> acceptable evidence. Other acceptable evidence includes but is not <br /> limited to: <br /> ji.) A written affidavit by a recognized professional in the field of natural <br /> resources. or <br /> 7 <br /> <br />