HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0988.001 2018-2020 ;0 OF/r�
VALERIE T. POINDEXTER . 14.; Phone: (808)961-8538
Chair, Department of Parks and Recreation 11,",` �/�: Fax: (808)961-8912
Council Member -.= ►s+ Email: valerie.poindexterAhawaiicounty.gov
Council District 1 r:.��ew;:'�.
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
County of Hawai`i
Hawai`i County Building
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1402
�.,
Hilo, Hawai`i 96720 •._'� ;.
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DATE: June 18, 2020
TO: . Aaron Chung, Council Chair �, -'
and Members of the Hawai`i County Council w
FROM: '11-Valerie T. Poindexter, Council Member
SUBJECT: Native Forest Dedications PowerPoint Presentation
Attached please find a hard copy of the "Native Forest Dedications, Ch. 19 Real Property Taxes,
Hawai`i County Code Proposed Amendments"PowerPoint presentation and a digital version of
the same material on a USB portable drive.
This PowerPoint will be presented by Leslie Cole-Brooks, Attorney at Law, and Lisa Miura,
Hawai`i County Real Property Tax Administrator,to help explain a proposed bill to amend
Chapter 19,Article 8, Section 19-59, of the Hawaii County Code relating to Native Forest
Dedications.
Please place this item on the appropriate Committee agenda for the July 7, 2020, meetings.
Thank you.
VP/sc
Att.
Comm. No. 1,41
Ref.To: VG
Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Ref.Date JUN 1 9 2020
Native Forest Dedications
Ch . 19 Real Property Taxes
Hawaii County Code
Proposed
Amendments
Leslie Cole-Brooks Valerie Poindexter Lisa Miura
Environmental Lawyer County Council Real Property Tax Division
7--
Rebecca Ostertag
UH Hilo
t
Susan Cordell
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry
Sebastian Wells
UH Hilo Graduate Student °' ``
What are Native Forest Dedications ?
Chapter 19, Article 8, Section 19-59
A native forest dedication is an option under the
Hawaii County code for landowners to set aside at
least 2 .75 contiguous acres of qualified land as a native
forest. Land must be dedicated for at least 20 years
and the owner would receive a reduced tax rate for the
dedicated parcel .
Current Native Forest Dedications
From 2004-2019:
• 128 NF dedications
• Total acreage=68,062
acres r .
• Ze ro reforestation
r
rr
plans
Proposed Amendments
To encourage forest preservation & restoration :
• Add two new native forest categories
• Adjust timing of NF dedication
• Improve NF dedication assessment rate
. 1 ' . - m
%
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Functional Forest or Hybrid Forest
• 60% combo of
native and non-
native/non-
invasive
on-native/non-invasive species ^-
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At least 2.75 - "
acres contiguous M
• At least 25% tree
cover combos
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Restoring to an all-native community is not feasible
Successional Forest — the Ultimate
Reforestation Plan
Encourages protection of
lava lands for
native forest development
Improved Timing & Assessment
• Allow property owners to receive NF dedication upon
the approval of NF restoration plan .
(Current rules only apply once the NF dedication for a
restoration project has fully met the NF requirements)
• Reduce assessment rates to encourage participation in
preservation and restoration .
Expected Participation & Benefits
• Slow to start. . . restoration projects are costly for the
landowner and they also reduce the overall land
value .
• Benefit to local economy for preservation and
restoration activity.
• Enormous benefit to county for ecological services
provided---
Mahalo
Let's protect what we have a n d
restore what we've lost .
LESLIE COLE-BROOKS LLLC
Attorney at Law-
ENERGY
ENVIRONMENT
SUSTAINABILITY
808.457.7957
Post Office Box 77
Papaaloa,HI 96780
lcb@colebrooks-law.com