HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0200.010 2006-2008 naiop
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'~~dusiad o.A Olllm Pu~emes
The h~rum (or' C'anmiercial Rcnl £s4i~e
NAIOP Hawaii
P.O. Box 1601
Honolnhi, Hawau 96806
Telephone: (303) 845-4994 Fax: (808) 847-6575 E-mail: barbie a?nniophawaii.org-- Web site:
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March 9, ?007
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VIA FIRST CLASS MAIL
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i'he Honorable Pete Hoffman,
Chair and Presiding Member
Hawaii County Council
333 Kilauea Avenue .
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
E1J
Re: Testimony 1n Opposition to Bil] No. 156, "An Ordinance Amending Chapter 17
(Housing), Article 1, Section 11-4(D), Hawai`i County Code 19S3 (2005 Edition), to
Include Affordable Housing Requirements for Industrial Parl< Developments°
Dear Chair Hoffman:
My name is Jim Mee, and [ am submitting this testimony on behalf of the Hawaii chapter
of the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties (NAIOP Hawaii). NAIOP Hawaii
is an association of Hawaii property owners, managers, developers, financial institutions and real
estate related professionals who are involved in the areas of commercial and industrial real
estate.
Our organization has concerns regarding Bill No. 156. Our first concern has to do with
whether additional affordable housing requirements will have a negative impact generally on job
creation in the industrial and commercial sectors.
Our second concern has to do with the impact of this bill on small businesses. Presently,
iu accordance with the General Plan, the affordable housing requirements are applicable to "large
industries." Through re-definition of what constitutes a'`large industry," this bill would m effect
extend this requirement to small businesses that may occupy an industrial or business park, or
other commercial development. Apart from whether this change is in accordance with the
General Ylan, it may be a disincentive to constructing space catering to small business. It also
Comm. Ho•
itef. To: Fri
Itaf. 'a'nte
The Honorable Pete Hoffman,
Chair and Presiding Member
Hawaii County Council
March 9, ?007
Page 2
could create economic inequalities between small businesses which occupy standalone space and
those that occupy amulti-user mall or business park.
Third, we cau see practical problems in trying to determine whether the affordable
housing requirements apply. For amulti-user development, it may not be possible to know how
many people are actually going to be working there, as that would depend on what types of
businesses ultimately occupy the space.
For these and other reasons, we believe this is not a good bill and sho~.ild not he passed by
the Council. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to testify on this measure.
Very tnily yours,
Jane K. Mee
Cha egislative Affairs Committee
365493.01