HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-09-02 PL-CCI-2025-000011 Support Testimony from Jonathan Helton, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii From: Jonathan Helton
To: W PCtesti mono
Subject: Testimonies for Thursday"s meeting
Date: Tuesday,September 2,2025 8:03:06 AM
Attachments: GRIH support Bill 63(2025).pdf
GRIH support Bill 52(2025).pdf
Aloha,
Please see the attached testimonies in support of items 9 and 10.
Best,
Jonathan
Jonathan Helton
Policy Analyst
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
1050 Bishop St,#508
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808)864-1776 1(931)561-7124
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Removing barriers to Hawaii's prosperity
Sept. 4, 2025, 9 a.m.
Hawai'i County Council Chambers in Hilo
To: Hawaii County Windward Planning Commission
Louis Daniele III, Chair
Chantel Perrin,Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst
RE: Bill 52 (2025) — RELATING TO HENNERIES
Aloha Chair Daniele, Vice Chair Perrin and other members of the Commission,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports Bill 52 (2025j, which would allow people to own backyard hens,
geese, ducks, turkeys and other poultry for the purpose of noncommercial egg production in single-family
residential, double-family residential, multifamily residential and residential-commercial mixed-use zones
under certain conditions.
Specifically, the birds would be limited to two per the first 3,000 square feet of lot area, with an additional bird
per 1,000 additional square feet of lot area.
The benefit of this proposal is that it would enhance Hawai'i Island's self-sufficiency efforts, since raising birds
for egg production would also reduce the need for egg imports.
Grassroot also supports the planning director's third recommendation in his planning analysis of Bill 52.1 This
proposed change would add household henneries as a permitted use in the residential agricultural zoning
district, since this would also support food self-sufficiency.
However, Grassroot does suggest striking paragraph (4) of Section 2 of the bill, which would prohibit egg sales,
and omitting the word "noncommercial" from the definition of"hennery."
1"Planning Department Background and Recommendation,' Hawaii County, p.4,accessed July 14,2025.
1050 Bishop St.#508 Honolulu,HI 96813 808-864-1776 info@grassrootinstitute.org
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Instead, backyard henneries should be permitted as a home occupation, which would enable residents to earn
extra income and better afford Hawaii's high cost of living.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Jonathan Helton
Policy Analyst
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
1050 Bishop St.#508 Honolulu,HI 96813 808-864-1776 info@grassrootinstitute.org
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