Laserfiche WebLink
PORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br /> DATE: July 7, 2020 Re: Comm. No. 988/Bill No. 178 <br /> PLACE: Council Chambers <br /> Hilo, Hawaii <br /> TIME: 9:05 a.m. <br /> Council Chair and Members <br /> Hawaii County Council <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Bill No. 178, reports as follows: <br /> Bill No. 178, transmitted by Council Member Valerie Poindexter, via Communication No. 988 <br /> dated June 18, 2020, amends Chapter 19, Article 8, Section 19-59, of the Hawaii County Code 1983 <br /> (2016 Edition, as amended), relating to native forest dedications. <br /> This bill creates three native forest categories (native forests, functional forests, and successional forests), <br /> and establishes a dedication process for forest preservation and restoration. <br /> A motion to move Bill 178 to Council with a positive recommendation was made by Council Member <br /> Poindexter, seconded by Council Member Richards. <br /> Council Member Poindexter shared how Ms. Leslie Cole-Brooks, an attorney specializing in <br /> environmental law connected with the County of Hawaii, and who spent over a year collaborating with <br /> the Real Property Tax office and various landowners and native forest experts whose goal is to preserve <br /> native forests here on Hawaii Island, in order to propose this legislation to establish native forest <br /> categories and implement a dedication process for the preservation and restoration of our native forests. <br /> Ms. Cole-Brooks and Ms. Lisa Miura, Real Property Tax Administrator addressed Your Committee on <br /> its goal, efforts and the opportunity for the County of Hawaii to make a small investment of$12,000 in <br /> reduced real property tax revenues, which will in turn create an extreme increase for the betterment of <br /> our island, state and world through the revitalization and preservation of our native forests. They also <br /> noted that there is no income generation for these landowners nor any significant savings in real <br /> property tax(dependent on location of property), but truly a labor of love for our native forests. <br /> Council Members collectively noted the excellence in the presented legislation, how it encourages the <br /> behavior of the protection of our forests, and the opportunity it presents for future projects island wide. <br /> Your Committee on Finance is in accord with the purpose and intent of Bill 178, and recommends its <br /> passage on first reading. <br /> db <br /> AYES NOES ABS EK Respectfully submitted, <br /> CHUNG X <br /> DAVID x COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br /> EOFF X <br /> KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER X <br /> KIERKIEwICZ X <br /> LEE LOY X <br /> POINDEXTER X MAIZE MED AVID, CHAIR <br /> RICHARDS X FC REPORT NO.: 126 <br /> VILLEGAS X ADOPTED: JUL 2 2 2020 <br />