February 16, 2023

“Senators Hear Surfer’s Voices”

The Surf Parking Coalition is grateful for Senator Inouye’s bill that requires 300 free parking stalls for recreational ocean access and for the practice of traditional and customary Native Hawaiian rights. We are grateful that SB1034 is moving to stage two at the Ways and Means.

Important Call to Action:

“The Surf Parking Coalition and its 1,000 Ala Wai recreational users ask Senator Dela Cruz to schedule this bill in his Ways and Means Committee before March 3rd! “

Today, the Senate Water and Land and Hawaiian Affairs Committees unanimously passed SB1034. This bill, introduced by Senator Inouye, requires that at least 300 parking stalls remain free of charge for recreational users at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor. This parking lot is the access point for O‘ahu’s famous surf spots “Ala Moana Bowls”, Rockpiles, and Kaiser's. The Committees received overwhelming testimony in support by over 200 individuals sharing how much this access to the ocean means to them. Opposition only came from the Department of Land and Natural Resources’s Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) that wanted to “maintain their flexibility” for future developments.

Senators asked the DLNR the hard questions, Vice Chair Elefante, referencing DLNR’s statement the day before, found it “a little contradictory to the testimony today saying that you're going to keep the 300 stalls free. But yet testimony today is in opposition?!”

When asked about any future development plans, DOBOR administrator Ed Underwood admitted that DOBOR in fact is about to issue a request for proposals to developers within the next three months.

The backdrop to the request for proposals is the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ meeting on August 26, 2022, where the Board already approved DOBOR’s recommendation to publish a request for proposals to redevelop the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, which specifically included a provision that the “current parking plan is subject to change depending on the type and configuration of the new development project.”1

Senator Inouye put a hold on this and requested that DOBOR come before her Committee to hold an informational briefing before any requests for proposals are published.

DLNR’s permissive language did not sit well with Senator McKelvey either, a co-signer of the bill, who noted that “you can see why the community is very concerned right now,” and continued to question DLNR’s opposition “to make this dedication permanent so that the community can rely on the fact that any future plans wouldn’t detrimentally affect this parking that is traditionally used for free access for the ocean and everything else?”

The bill is now moving to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, which is chaired by Senator Donovan Dela Cruz.

COALITION TO SAVE THE SURF AND RECREATIONAL PARKING AT ALA WAI SMALL BOAT HARBOR TESTIFIES AT THE LEGISLATURE

WHO: A grassroots coalition of Ocean Access Protectors including the Surfrider Foundation, O‘ahu Chapter, Save Our Surf Hawaii Surfparking.org, and additional groups and over 200 individuals have come together to strongly Support SB 1034. The bill, introduced by Senator Inouye, seeks to protect the remaining ’no-fee’ recreational parking at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor with a statute.

1 https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/J-1-1.pdf on page 7.

WHAT: The Department of Land and Natural Resources will be presenting their Oppose testimony, stating they need the flexibility to adjust the number and type of parking stalls for privatization efforts. Two government agencies Oppose this measure. Over 200 individuals Support this measure and all the testimonies can be found at capitol.hawaii.gov website for the SB1034 bill. Or this link:

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2023/Testimony/SB1034 _TESTIMONY_WTL-HWN_02-08-23_.PDF

Today’s hearing SB1034:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HxkmABMQJM&t=5890s

WHEN: Thursday, February 16th, 2023 at 1:00 pm

WHERE: Capitol Building, Conference Room 229

In summary: The major sentiment in the testimonies by ocean access protection groups and individuals to leave the free parking alone. This bill SB1034 (and companion Bill HB1189) adds one sentence to the HRS 200_2.6, and stating that the already upon ‘parking plan’ must continue to maintain the 300 free stalls, of the total 941 stalls, and the parking plan current set by the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

Other related Bills that affect Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor to watch:

HB1189: A new 20 year pilot ‘public-private’ partnership for the harbor has been introduced and moved forward in the House. The harbors to be used are not clarified in the bill but it is likely that the Ala Wai Harbor would be one of the first. The workers union and some members, one citizen quite familiar with the

entire harbor system testified against it. This testimony can be seen on YouTube. Forward to about 3/4th of the way through.

HB 1123/SB1434 : Seeking 36.3 million dollars in CIP (Capitol Improvement Program) funding for only the Ala Wai Boat Harbor. Introduced by Rep. Adrain Tam and Sen. Sharon Moriwaki. It is not clear if the private company chosen for the public-private partnership will provide matching funds, or if the end game of a ‘move out’ after 20 years is described. In general, our Surf Parking Coalition is against this use of taxpayer money, unless there is a guarantee of retaining the 300 free parking stalls, for recreational ocean access and the practice of transitional and customary Native Hawaiian rights.

SB1485 Allows the Department of Land and Natural Resources to engage in capital improvement project work at state small boat harbors and state parks without prior approval from the Legislature and Governor for existing facilities. (Effective 7/1/2112)