Chilled by the backlash against the Public Land Development Corp., state lawmakers have significantly narrowed Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s proposal to redevelop underused land around public schools.
Abercrombie believes redevelopment projects could generate money to help modernize the state’s aging public schools for the 21st century, but lawmakers are reluctant to approve any legislation that appears similar to the PLDC, a state agency they intend to repeal.
Three House committees Friday agreed to a bill — House Bill 865 — that would allow the state Board of Education to oversee redevelopment projects at five public school properties. The projects would not have any special exemptions from state and county land use regulations, like the PLDC was granted, and would have to court community feedback.
The Senate has advanced a bill — Senate Bill 237 — that would establish a three-year pilot program involving two public school properties identified by the Board of Education and state Department of Education. The pilot would be overseen by Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui’s office.
Abercrombie had recommended that the Hawaii Community Development Authority implement his 21st-century schools initiative on public school properties statewide chosen by the state school board and Department of Education. The governor has estimated that public school land from Hawaii Kai to Kalihi alone could be worth $1 billion.
In a statement Friday, Abercrombie distinguished his 21st-century schools initiative from the PLDC.
"I am committed to providing our students, teachers and staff with school facilities that will motivate and facilitate 21st century learning," the governor said in an email. "Being cognizant of the objections regarding PLDC, our proposal does not embody any of those broad exemptions or taking away home-rule and we will continue to purposefully stay away from these areas. I’m looking forward to continuing the conversation in order to accomplish that goal."
House lawmakers earlier this week killed the Abercrombie administration’s proposal for a new development authority for harbors and parks, citing similarities to the PLDC.
Both House and Senate lawmakers said they will not pass the 21st-century schools initiative without restrictions that contain its scope.
Rep. Roy Takumi (D, Pearl City-Waipio-Pearl Harbor), chairman of the House Education Committee, said lawmakers had discussed potential redevelopment on public school land well before the PLDC was created two years ago. Private developers could invest in workforce housing, health care or retail projects that would generate money to retrofit public schools.
Private investment would help, some lawmakers and educators say, because state bond and general fund money has not kept pace with the repair and maintenance demand at public schools that are on average 65 years old.
"I think there is no doubt that people kind of scratched this bill and they sniffed PLDC. The irony is that this bill was introduced before PLDC even was around, and no one mentioned at that time that ‘It’s a land grab’ and all of that," Takumi said. "But in the aftermath of PLDC, I think the community and the legislators’ sensitivities are kind of heightened.
"Maybe, in a way, it’s a good thing, because then you want to be sure that we’re going to really build in this community input component now."
Sen. Jill Tokuda (D, Kailua-Kaneohe), chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, said she wants to see "proof of concept" before taking the redevelopment option to school land statewide.
Both Takumi and Tokuda believe it could take several years for the state to realize even a handful of redevelopment projects, so they do not view a cap on the number of projects as a barrier.
"I think the specter of the PLDC is what made me think about it in terms of trying to create some really structured lines around this particular pilot," Tokuda said. "So instead of having it be very open-ended and broad, really putting some good bones around it."
The House voted Thursday to repeal the PLDC, while the Senate Ways and Means Committee approved a repeal bill Friday, sending the measure to the full Senate.
Some lawmakers still oppose the 21st-century schools initiative as too similar to the PLDC. Rep. Gene Ward (R, Kalama Valley-Queen’s Gate-Hawaii Kai) called the initiative "one of its children."
Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R, Kailua-Kaneohe) said lawmakers have already authorized the Department of Education to enter into financing agreements for public-school facilities, which allow partnerships with the private sector to improve schools. But she said she does not want commercial development on public school land.
"I do not want to support a bill," Thielen said, "that will allow nonschool uses on school land."
