Honolulu City Council Policy Resolutions

(Link to original Word Processing Version)

01-20

RELATING TO THE DESIGNATION OF A WAIANAE COAST ENTERPRISE ZONE FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU.

    WHEREAS, Chapter 209E, HRS, authorizes each county, subject to the Governor's approval, to designate up to six enterprise zones within the county's boundaries; and

    WHEREAS, an enterprise zone must be a contiguous area, the population of which complies with a specified low-income criterion or high unemployment criterion; and

    WHEREAS, after county designation and gubernatorial approval of an enterprise zone, a “qualified business” in the zone becomes eligible for a State income tax credit and general excise tax exemption and any local incentive made available by the county; and

    WHEREAS, in general, a “qualified business” is a business entity which:

    (1)    Engages in wholesaling, manufacturing, agricultural production, ship or aircraft repairing, or certain high technology, medical, or educational services;

    (2)    Generates at least 50 percent of its annual gross receipts from activity within the zone; and

    (3)    Meets specified minimum levels of employment;

and

    WHEREAS, at present the City and County of Honolulu has three enterprise zones, one each in the North Shore, Mililani/Wahiawa, and Ewa/Central Oahu Areas, and proposals have been made for a fourth enterprise zone in urban Honolulu; and

    WHEREAS, the Council finds that another enterprise zone should be established along the Waianae Coast from Kahe Point through Makaha, for the following reasons:


    (1)    Economic incentives provided by an enterprise zone are necessary to stimulate employment growth in the area;

    (2)    Promotion of diversified employment in the area is necessary to expand the employment opportunities for area residents beyond service and retail related employment;

    (3)    Creation of additional employment in the area will provide residents of the Waianae coast with income opportunities closer to home, and thereby reduce commute time and expense, and alleviate traffic congestion along the primary transportation corridor between the Waianae Coast and urban Honolulu;

    (4)    Much of the area is zoned agriculture, enabling the conduct of agricultural production, a type of business activity which qualifies for enterprise zone benefits; and

    (5)    Promotion of agricultural production in the area may reduce pressure to upzone agricultural land and thereby maintain the rural character of the Waianae Coast;

and

    WHEREAS, finally, the Council finds that at least one enterprise zone should be established along the Waianae Coast to encourage employment opportunities for Waianae Coast residents and provide direct and indirect benefits for Waianae Coast businesses; now, therefore,

    BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City and County of Honolulu that the following area of the Waianae Coast, as conceptually displayed in Exhibit A, be designated an enterprise zone:

        1990 Census tracts 86.03, 96.01, 96.03, 96.04, 97.01, 97.02, 98, except the portions zoned preservation P-1 and federal F-1 on January 1, 2001;

and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, if there is a conflict between the description of the enterprise zone area under the preceding paragraph and the map of Exhibit A, the description shall prevail; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following incentives be provided to qualified businesses in the Waianae Coast enterprise zone:

    (1)    A rebate of real property taxes on all new construction for a period not to exceed two years; and

    (2)    A waiver of all fees for building and grading permits required for new construction for a period of seven years;

and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council requests the Mayor to concur with the designation and, on behalf of the Council, prepare and submit the necessary application material to the Governor for approval of the designation; and

    BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Clerk is directed to transmit a certified copy of this Resolution to the Mayor.

                         INTRODUCED BY:

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        
                                Councilmembers
DATE OF INTRODUCTION:


Honolulu, Hawaii

(OCS/010201/mg)

Policy Resolutions