SB 3002

THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
3002
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating
to the HAWAII state planning Act.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
���� SECTION 1.� The legislature finds that sustainable
design concepts for public infrastructure incorporate green vegetation and
trees to decrease urban temperatures, reduce carbon emissions, improve air
quality, and capture water to replenish the water table.� The effects of climate change have made
implementing sustainable design concepts more critical, as each passing year
has seen increased temperatures and other negative impacts from climate change.
���� Studies have determined that people who
live in areas that have more trees and green space are less likely to have
acute respiratory symptoms and less likely to die of heart or respiratory
disease.� Studies have also found that
green vegetation, trees, and properly designed and well-maintained
infrastructure can produce significant improvements to mental health and have
positive psychological and quality-of-life benefits in a community.� The Walt Disney Company uses these principles
in park design, including painting unsightly infrastructure, such as trash cans
and street lights, a standard shade of neutral green to blend them into the
surrounding environment, improving visitor experience. �The same can be done in local communities to
produce similar mental health and quality-of-life benefits.
���� The legislature further finds that Hawaii
is world-renowned for its vegetation, and that residents and tourists alike
actively seek out green spaces.�
Increasing the number of parks and green spaces in Honolulu's urban core
will improve the quality of life of residents and visitors alike.
���� Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
improve the quality of life in the State by:
���� (1)� Establishing
objectives, policies, and priority guidelines in the Hawaii State Planning Act
to promote the use of green infrastructure, vegetation, and trees in state
facility systems, infrastructure, and transit projects; and
���� (2)� Requiring
the office of planning and sustainable development to make recommendations for
implementing the green infrastructure objectives, policies, and priority
guidelines established by this Act.
���� SECTION
2.� Chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:
���� "�226-   � Objectives and
policies for state facility systems, infrastructure, and transit projects;
green infrastructure.� (a)�
Planning for state facility systems, infrastructure, and transit
projects with regard to green infrastructure shall be directed toward the
achievement of the following sustainability design objectives:
���� (1)� Minimizing stormwater runoff and
replenishing the water table;
���� (2)� Reducing the urban heat-island
effect;
���� (3)� Encouraging the removal of pollutants
from the air; and
���� (4)� Encouraging the removal, sequestration, and
storage of greenhouse gas emissions.
���� (b)� Planning for state facility systems,
infrastructure, and transit projects shall incorporate the achievement of the
following quality of experience design objectives:
���� (1)� Creating a visual and sound barrier
to enhance the quality of life in the surrounding community;
���� (2)� Incorporating as much live foliage,
trees, green infrastructure, and open green space as possible; and
���� (3)� Finishing exterior exposed appurtenances
and concrete surfaces not covered in foliage or green infrastructure with a
standardized paint scheme to protect against weathering, blend appropriately
with Hawaii's natural environment, enhance a sense of place, and provide for a
better experience."
���� SECTION 3.�
Section 226-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new
definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:
���� ""Green infrastructure"
means the range of measures that use plant or soil systems, permeable pavement
or other permeable surfaces or substrates, stormwater harvest and reuse, or
landscaping to store water or allow water to infiltrate or evapotranspirate and
reduce flows to sewer systems or to surface waters."
���� SECTION 4.� Section 226-12, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
���� "(b)� To achieve the scenic, natural beauty, and
historic resources objective, it shall be the policy of this State to:
���� (1)� Promote the preservation and restoration of
significant natural and historic resources.
���� (2)� Provide incentives to maintain and enhance
historic, cultural, and scenic amenities.
���� (3)� Promote the preservation of views and vistas
to enhance the visual and aesthetic enjoyment of mountains, ocean, scenic
landscapes, and other natural features.
���� (4)� Protect those special areas, structures, and
elements that are an integral and functional part of Hawaii's ethnic and
cultural heritage.
���� (5)� Encourage the design of developments and
activities that complement the natural beauty of the islands.
���� (6)� Promote the increase of outdoor public
green spaces.
���� (7)� Connect outdoor public green spaces with
existing trails.
���� (8)� Promote the increase of urban tree canopy."
���� SECTION 5.� Section 226-104, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:
���� "�226-104�
Population growth [[and]], land resources, and green
infrastructure priority guidelines.�
(a)� Priority guidelines to effect
desired statewide growth and distribution:
���� (1)� Encourage planning and resource management to
insure that population growth rates throughout the State are consistent with
available and planned resource capacities and reflect the needs and desires of
Hawaii's people.
���� (2)� Manage a growth rate for Hawaii's economy that
will parallel future employment needs for Hawaii's people.
���� (3)� Ensure that adequate support services and
facilities are provided to accommodate the desired distribution of future
growth throughout the State.
���� (4)� Encourage major state and federal investments
and services to promote economic development and private investment to the
neighbor islands, as appropriate.
���� (5)� Explore the possibility of making available
urban land, low-interest loans, and housing subsidies to encourage the
provision of housing to support selective economic and population growth on the
neighbor islands.
���� (6)� Seek federal funds and other funding sources
outside the State for research, program development, and training to provide
future employment opportunities on the neighbor islands.
���� (7)� Support the development of high technology
parks on the neighbor islands.
���� (b)� Priority guidelines for regional growth
distribution and land resource utilization:
���� (1)� Encourage urban growth primarily to existing
urban areas where adequate public facilities are already available or can be
provided with reasonable public expenditures, and away from areas where other
important benefits are present, such as protection of important agricultural
land or preservation of lifestyles.
���� (2)� Make available marginal or nonessential
agricultural lands for appropriate urban uses while maintaining agricultural
lands of importance in the agricultural district.
���� (3)� Restrict development when drafting of water
would result in exceeding the sustainable yield or in significantly diminishing
the recharge capacity of any groundwater area.
���� (4)� Encourage restriction of new urban development
in areas where water is insufficient from any source for both agricultural and
domestic use.
���� (5)� In order to preserve green belts, give
priority to state capital-improvement funds which encourage location of urban
development within existing urban areas except where compelling public interest
dictates development of a noncontiguous new urban core.
���� (6)� Seek participation from the private sector for
the cost of building infrastructure and utilities, and maintaining open spaces.
���� (7)� Pursue rehabilitation of appropriate urban
areas.
���� (8)� Support the redevelopment of Kakaako into a
viable residential, industrial, and commercial community.
���� (9)� Direct future urban development away from
critical environmental areas or impose mitigating measures so that negative
impacts on the environment would be minimized.
��� (10)� Identify critical environmental areas in
Hawaii to include but not be limited to the following: watershed and recharge
areas; wildlife habitats (on land and in the ocean); areas with endangered
species of plants and wildlife; natural streams and water bodies; scenic and
recreational shoreline resources; open space and natural areas; historic and
cultural sites; areas particularly sensitive to reduction in water and air
quality; and scenic resources.
��� (11)� Identify all areas where priority should be
given to preserving rural character and lifestyle.
��� (12)� Utilize Hawaii's limited land resources
wisely, providing adequate land to accommodate projected population and
economic growth needs while ensuring the protection of the environment and the
availability of the shoreline, conservation lands, and other limited resources
for future generations.
��� (13)� Protect and enhance Hawaii's shoreline, open
spaces, and scenic resources.
���� (c)� Priority guidelines to promote the use of
green infrastructure in state facility systems, infrastructure, and transit
projects:
���� (1)� Design all new state facilities,
infrastructure, and transit upgrades to include best practices for tree
planting and other green infrastructure.
���� (2)� Make provisions for maintaining trees in
accordance with standards set by the Accredited Standards Committee of the Tree
Care Industry Association.
���� (3)� Select tree species matched to site
conditions to maximize tree health.
���� (4)� Select tree and vegetation species for
larger size at maturity where possible to maximize environmental benefits.
���� (5)� Select varied native tree and vegetation
species for biodiversity to increase resilience.
���� (6)� Promote traffic safety with placement of
foliage and trees consistent with Federal Highway Administration guidance,
outside of "clear zones"."
���� SECTION 6.� The office of planning and sustainable
development shall submit a report to the legislature, no later than twenty days
prior to the convening of the regular session of 2027, that includes:
���� (1)� Recommendations for implementing the green
infrastructure objectives and policies set out by section
226-   , Hawaii Revised Statutes, as established by section 2 of
this Act, and the priority guidelines set out by section 226-104(c), Hawaii
Revised Statutes, as established by section 5 of this Act; and
���� (2)� Any other findings and recommendations,
including any proposed legislation.
���� SECTION 7.� Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.� New statutory
material is underscored.
���� SECTION 8.� This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
Hawaii State Planning Act; Green Infrastructure; Office of
Planning and Sustainable Development; Report
Description:
Establishes
green infrastructure objectives, policies, and priority guidelines for state
facility systems, infrastructure, and transit projects in the Hawaii State
Planning Act to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors.� Adds a definition of "green infrastructure".� Requires the Office of Planning and
Sustainable Development to submit a report to the Legislature making
recommendations for implementing green infrastructure objectives, policies, and
priority guidelines.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.