SB2356 would prohibit minimum off-street parking requirements for new development and redevelopment projects located within transit-oriented development infrastructure improvement program areas established under section 206E-243, Hawaii Revised Statutes. In practical terms, counties could no longer require a set number of parking stalls for projects in those designated transit-oriented areas, though developers could still choose to provide parking voluntarily.
The bill also amends Hawaii’s adaptive reuse law to preserve parking exemptions for qualifying projects, while clarifying that accessible parking requirements under federal disability and fair housing law remain in place. It further preserves county authority to set maximum parking limits or other parking-management policies, so the measure removes mandatory minimums without eliminating local regulation of parking supply altogether. The bill is set to take effect on April 19, 2042.
Impact
The measure would add a new statewide restriction in Chapter 46, HRS, overriding contrary county charters, ordinances, codes, or standards in transit-oriented development infrastructure improvement program areas. It would directly affect county land-use and development permitting by eliminating minimum off-street parking mandates for covered projects, which could reduce development costs and support denser, transit-oriented housing and redevelopment. It would also modify section 46-4.7 to align adaptive reuse rules with the new parking prohibition, while leaving disability-access parking and county maximum-parking policies intact.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support in the Senate committees that considered the bill, with unanimous or near-unanimous passage in Transportation, Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Ways and Means. The bill’s findings frame it as a housing-supply, smart-growth, and transit-supportive measure intended to reduce congestion, support rail ridership, and advance affordable housing goals. However, the later recommendation from the HSG committee to defer the measure indicates that some concern or hesitation remained at that stage of the process.
Contention
The main policy tension is between statewide housing/transit goals and county control over parking and development standards. Supporters appear to favor removing parking minimums as a barrier to higher-density and more affordable development near transit, while potential opponents may be concerned about local flexibility, neighborhood impacts, spillover parking, and implementation in different communities. The bill tries to address some of those concerns by preserving accessible parking requirements, allowing voluntary parking, and explicitly permitting counties to adopt maximum parking limits.
Requesting The Postmaster General Of The United States Postal Service To Build A New And Larger Pearl City Post Office At The United States Navy Property On The Pearl City Peninsula With A Larger Parking Lot For Employees And Customers.
Requesting The Postmaster General Of The United States Postal Service To Build A New And Larger Pearl City Post Office At The United States Navy Property On The Pearl City Peninsula With A Larger Parking Lot For Employees And Customers.