HR 61: requesting the mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, honolulu city council, and department of parks and recreation of the City and County of Honolulu to create a dedicated animal EDUCATION and training complex within kalaeloa parklands.

HOUSE RESOLUTION

requesting the mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, honolulu city council, and department of parks and recreation of the City and County of Honolulu to create a dedicated animal EDUCATION and training complex within kalaeloa parklands.

     WHEREAS, on June 12, 2024, the City and County of Honolulu took ownership of approximately four hundred acres of designated Kalaeloa parklands from the United States Navy; and

     WHEREAS, the City and County of Honolulu intends to use these lands for public park and public recreational purposes; and

     WHEREAS, the needs of the animal community on Oahu have been overlooked; and

     WHEREAS, restrictions imposed on park usage at existing City and County of Honolulu parks and competition for park usage with sports groups have made it extremely difficult to find suitable animal-friendly venues for dog shows, dog sports, cat shows, bird shows, free flight bird areas, and 4H groups working with animals; and

     WHEREAS, Kapolei is a rapidly growing area, but its residents lack a public park space to enjoy with their pets; and

     WHEREAS, the only on-leash dog park within City Park District 3, which covers Waipahu to Waianae, is the Ewa Beach Community Park, and there are no public off-leash dog parks in this area; and

     WHEREAS, the Kalaeloa parklands are well situated to include an animal education and training complex; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Honolulu City Council, and Department of Parks and Recreation of the City and County of Honolulu are requested to create a dedicated animal education and training complex within the Kalaeloa parklands; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the dedicated animal education and training complex is requested to include bathrooms, secure indoor meeting and exhibition rooms similar to the McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana Beach Park, food preparation facilities, and secure storage areas that may be rented by animal clubs to store necessary equipment, such as equipment for dog agility, dog obedience, and Fast CAT and cages required for benched cat, rabbit, and bird shows; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Chairperson of the Honolulu City Council, and Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation of the City and County of Honolulu.

Report Title: 

Kalaleoa Parklands; Animal Education and Training Facility; City and County of Honolulu

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1645

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   H.R. No. 61

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.R. No. 61 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE MAYOR OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU, HONOLULU CITY COUNCIL, AND DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO CREATE A DEDICATED ANIMAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMPLEX WITHIN KALAELOA PARKLANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request that the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu:

(1)    Create a dedicated animal education and training complex within the Kalaeloa parklands; and

(2)    Include bathrooms, secure indoor meeting and exhibition rooms similar to the McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana Beach Park, food preparation facilities, and secure storage areas that may be rented by animal clubs to store necessary equipment, such as equipment for dog agility, dog obedience, and fast CAT and cages required for benched cat, rabbit, and bird shows.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the competition with sports groups in acquiring area for an animal-friendly park has become an increasingly pressing issue for the Oahu community. Your Committee further finds that the intent to use Kalaeloa parklands to build an animal-friendly park with animal education and training complexes is an important facility for the community. With the influx in the population size in Kapolei, and the presence of only one on-leash dog park, and no off-leash dog parks in District 3, this measure asks the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu to take actions to address this issue for the District 3 community.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 61 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,