§171-11 Public purposes, lands set aside by the governor; management. The governor may, with the prior approval of the board of land and natural resources, set aside public lands to any department or agency of the State, the city and county, county, or other political subdivisions of the State for public use or purpose. All withdrawals of the lands or portions thereof so set aside shall be made by the governor.

Any public lands set aside by the governor prior to the enactment of this chapter, or any public lands set aside by the governor of the Territory of Hawaii, shall be subject to the provisions of this section.

Lands while so set aside for such use or purpose or when acquired for roads and streets shall be managed by the department, agency, city and county, county, or other political subdivisions of the State having jurisdiction thereof, unless otherwise provided by law. Such department, agency of the State, the city and county, county, or other political subdivisions of the State in managing such lands shall be authorized to exercise all of the powers vested in the board in regard to the issuance of leases, easements, licenses, revocable permits, concessions, or rights of entry covering such lands for such use as may be consistent with the purposes for which the lands were set aside on the same terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to the disposition of public lands, as provided by this chapter all such dispositions being subject to the prior approval of the board; provided that any nonrenewable dispositions granting rights for a period not in excess of fourteen days shall not require (1) the approval of the board or (2) public auction or public advertisement for sealed tenders; and provided further that disposition of lands set aside for use as agricultural parks pursuant to chapter 166 shall not be subject to the prior approval of the board. If at the time of the disposition of any such leases the board shall have approved the same, any order withdrawing or setting aside any or all of such lands for any other public purpose shall be made subject to such leases. Subject to section 5(f) of the Act of March 18, 1959 (73 Stat. 6), all proceeds from such lands shall be deposited into the appropriate funds provided by law.

This section shall also apply where the purposes are the uses and purposes of the United States; provided that all revenues derived from the lands and improve­ments thereon shall be paid to the department of land and natural resources by the United States.

Whenever lands set aside for a public purpose to the various departments and agencies of the State, or to any city and county, county, or other political subdivi­sions of the State, or to the United States, are not being utilized or required for the public purpose stated, the order setting aside the lands shall be withdrawn and the lands shall be returned to the department. The governor may withdraw public lands and, with the prior approval of the board of land and natural resources, set aside the withdrawn lands to another department or agency of the State, the city and county, county, or political subdivision of the State, or to the United States for public use or purpose, provided that no structure on such lands shall be built, demolished or altered until after the legislative action or inaction as hereinbelow provided.

The power granted to the governor in this section to set aside or withdraw or withdraw and set aside public lands shall be exercised subject to disapproval by the legislature by two-thirds vote of either the senate or the house of representatives or by the majority vote of both, in any regular or special session next following the date of the setting aside or withdrawal, or withdrawal and setting aside.

Whenever portions of lands set aside for a public purpose to the various departments and agencies of the State, or to any city and county, county, or other political subdivision of the State are not presently utilized or required for the public purpose stated, the board shall have the power, without withdrawing the order setting aside the lands, to dispose of any and all real property interest less than the fee in the portions of such lands where the disposition is for a use which is consistent or inconsistent with the purpose for which the land was set aside. All funds derived from disposition by the board shall be deposited in the general fund of the State or be paid to the appropriate account; provided that all such dispositions shall be with the prior written approval of the department, agency, city and county, county, or other political subdivisions of the State and the governor, and shall be undertaken in compliance with all other applicable sections of this chapter. [L 1962, c 32, pt of §2; am L 1963, c 173, §1; am L 1965, c 239, §8; Supp, §103A-11; am L 1967, c 189, §4 and c 234, §1; HRS §171-11; am L 1974, c 16, §1; am L 1981, c 116, §4; am L 1988, c 22, §6]

Cross References

Act of March 18, 1959 is the Hawaii Admission Act, see volume 1.

Attorney General Opinions

Allowance of use of armories for private functions must be in accordance with this section if armories are on lands set aside by executive orders, and in accordance with §121-19 if armories are on license from federal government. Att. Gen. op. 71-1.

Law Journals and Reviews

Kapiolani Park Preservation Society v. City and County of Honolulu: The Lease of Public Park Land as a Breach of a Charitable Trust. 11 UH L. Rev. 199.

Case Notes

Mentioned: 53 H. 567, 498 P.2d 631.