Bill > SB36

This bill addresses land use regulation in Hawaii by creating a streamlined process for reclassifying land from non-urban to urban districts. Currently, the state's dual land use regulation system between the state and counties creates delays and increases the cost of affordable housing development. The bill allows counties to request that the Land Use Commission (LUC) automatically reclassify lands designated for urban growth in their general or development plans as urban district lands, provided that the necessary analytical work has been completed. When a county submits such a request, the LUC must update its official quadrangle maps within 90 days and notify the county of the update. The reclassification becomes effective on the day the maps are updated, and the LUC is required to adopt rules to implement this new process. The goal is to expedite urban development and potentially make housing development faster and more affordable by reducing bureaucratic barriers to land use reclassification.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=36&year=2025