Committee advances three East Kapolei TOD bills to third reading

The committee advanced a three-bill package to implement the East Kapolei neighborhood transit‑oriented development plan, reporting Bills 37 (state land use boundary amendment), 38 (TOD Special District amendments) and 39 (rezoning/zone changes) out for passage on third reading. DPP and the TOD administrator briefed members on the bills’ purposes, updated exemptions and the open issues resolved during prior meetings.

DPP’s TOD administrator explained that most petition parcels are remnant lands not suitable for agriculture and that the proposed reclassifications and TOD special-district expansions are intended to create mixed-use neighborhoods near SkyLine stations. The administrator said the department met with the Department of Education and a master‑plan developer (D.R. Horton) to clarify school‑campus needs, safety and undergrounding concerns; DPP noted existing waiver and exemption processes would allow flexibility where strict TOD standards conflict with public‑school or high‑voltage utility requirements. “The waiver process also applies to public uses in the TOD Special District if necessary,” the TOD administrator said in committee remarks. The committee recorded no objections and recommended that the three measures be reported out for passage on third reading.