AI-assisted research summary: State small boat harbors are for recreational boating, fish landing, and commercial vessel use, and vessel access is limited to vessels in good condition that are regularly navigated and used for those purposes.
(a) State small boat harbors are constructed, maintained, and operated for the purposes of: (1) Recreational boating activities; (2) Landing of fish; and (3) Commercial vessel activities. To implement these purposes, only vessels in good material and operating condition that are regularly navigated beyond the confines of the small boat harbor and that are used for recreational activities, the landing of fish, or commercial vessel activities shall be permitted to moor, anchor, or berth at a state small boat harbor or use any of its facilities. (b) Vessels used for purposes of recreational boating activities that are also the principal habitation of the owners shall occupy no more than one hundred twenty-nine berths at Ala Wai boat harbor and thirty-five berths at Keehi boat harbor, which is equal to fifteen per cent of the respective total moorage space that was available as of July 1, 1976, at the Ala Wai and Keehi boat harbors. (c) The total number of valid commercial use permits that may be issued for vessels assigned mooring in Ala Wai boat harbor shall not exceed fifteen per cent of the total number of berths and shall not exceed thirty-five per cent of the total number of berths at the Keehi boat harbor; provided that at the Ala Wai boat harbor, vessels issued commercial use permits shall: (1) Not exceed sixty-five feet in length; (2) Occupy not more than fifty-six berths located along the row of berths furthermost mauka or adjacent to Holomoana street, with the remainder located throughout the Ala Wai boat harbor, with priority assigned to row five hundred, row seven hundred, and row eight hundred; (3) Be phased-in in a manner that does not displace any existing recreational boater or existing catamaran operator; and (4) Include commercial catamarans, for which valid commercial use permits or existing registration certificates have been issued by the department that allow the catamarans to operate upon Waikiki shore waters for hire. The department shall allow a sole proprietor of a catamaran operating with a valid commercial use permit or existing registration certificate, issued by the department, for a commercial catamaran to land its commercial catamaran on Waikiki beach, to operate upon Waikiki shore waters for hire, and to transfer the ownership of the vessel from personal ownership to corporate or other business ownership without terminating the right to operate under the commercial use permit or existing registration certificate. The existing commercial use permit or existing registration certificate shall be reissued in a timely manner in the name of the transferee corporation or other business entity. No valid commercial use permit or existing registration certificate issued to an owner of a commercial catamaran operating in the Waikiki area shall be denied or revoked without a prior hearing held in accordance with chapter 91. (d) Notwithstanding any limitations on commercial permits for Maui county small boat facilities, vessels engaging in inter-island ferry service within Maui county shall be afforded preferential consideration for ferry landings, including the issuance of a commercial operating permit and the waiver of any applicable fees, at Maui county small boat facilities; provided that: (1) The vessel operator has been issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the purpose of engaging in inter-island ferry service that includes a route within Maui county; (2) The design and performance characteristics of the vessel will permit safe navigation within the harbor entrance channel and safe docking within Maui county small boat facilities; (3) The vessel operations will not result in unreasonable interference with the use of Maui county small boat facilities by other vessels; and (4) All preferential consideration and waivers, including any commercial permits issued under this section, shall cease upon the vessel operator's termination of inter-island ferry service within Maui county. (e) The chairperson may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to further implement this section. [(f)] For purposes of this section: "Commercial vessel activities" means the use of vessels for activities or services provided on a fee basis. "Recreational boating activities" means the use of watercraft for sports, hobbies, or pleasure. "Regularly navigated" means the movement of a vessel under its own power from its assigned mooring within a small boat harbor to beyond the confines of the small boat harbor and entrance channel at least once in a ninety-day period. Vessels moored in an offshore mooring area shall exit the confines of the designated mooring area under their own power at least once in a ninety-day period. [L 1991, c 272, pt of §2; am L 1995, c 86, §2; am L 1997, c 160, §4; am L 1999, c 266, §1; am L 2001, c 9, §1; am L 2006, c 123, §1; am L 2011, c 76, §1 and c 197, §6] Cross References Intra-island water ferry transportation system, see §268-2.5.