Council rebuffs Harris
on farm zoning

Mayor Jeremy Harris was rebuffed yesterday by the City Council, which he had called in-to a special session to pass two measures.

The Council voted to send the two issues back to their respective committees.

Harris sought a Council vote on a bill to protect 84,000 acres of farm land from urban sprawl. The bill would require six Council votes, instead of five, to change certain agriculturally zoned lands for development.

The issue is especially dear to the mayor because he helped write a 1978 amendment to the state Constitution that calls on the state to designate important agricultural lands for protection. But the criteria for designating those lands lies with the Legislature, which has not moved on the issue.

"The decision to protect our agricultural land on Oahu has languished at the state Legislature for far too long," said Managing Director Ben Lee, who said the issue is now one of home rule. "This is an opportunity for the Council to show leadership in protecting our agricultural lands -- keep the country country."

Large landowner representatives denounced the bill, saying it would only add another layer of bureaucracy while doing nothing to protect farmers.

Some Councilmembers noted that they had received testimony from small farmers who said the measure would give them a sense of security.

Yet Councilmembers also said they felt that the measure was all about the mayor.

"Today we have but two weeks before Jeremy Harris leaves office, yet we're called here into special session," Councilman Charles Djou said. "Why didn't Jeremy Harris push this matter earlier?"

Djou said he believes the matter is best left to the Legislature.

On the second issue, the Council refused to approve Harris' nomination of former city land utilization director John Whalen to the Charter Commission, instead referring it back to the Executive Matters Committee.

The Council and the mayor have each selected six members to sit on the Charter Commission. Whalen was chosen as the 13th member by the mayor, subject to Council confirmation.

Committee chairman Romy Cachola said Whalen's nomination needs more thorough discussion in committee.

Agricultural land
measure not working,
Senate president says

A never-implemented state Constitutional amendment aimed at protecting agricultural land in Hawaii might need to be changed, Senate President Robert Bunda said yesterday.

"I see more lands being taken out of agriculture. That's where we are headed," Bunda (D, Wahiawa-Pupukea) said.

Hawaii's Constitution calls for the state to identify "important agricultural lands" and protect them from rezoning or land-use changes. The amendment has been studied excessively by the Legislature over the years but never implemented.

"The present wording of the Constitution, although it has the spirit of protecting agriculture land, has put a roadblock up for either the Legislature or the City Council to act," Bunda said.

The veteran Democrat said it might be time for the state Legislature to rethink the amendment.

"Agriculture is a key component in our economy, and if we don't keep it that way I believe we are going to develop every square inch of this state, and I don't think we want to do that," Bunda said.

"I believe in the spirit of the Constitution about keeping agriculture alive," Bunda said yesterday, adding that Hawaii has been losing agricultural lands to development since 1978.