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Senate committee weighs permit requirement for logging in gated communities after Diamond Head clearing
Summary
Supporters from Diamond Head described extensive tree removal, erosion and sedimentation into Lake Catherine and urged SB385, which would require permits and mandatory BMP compliance for large clearings in gated residential communities. Forestry groups opposed mandated rules, favoring voluntary BMPs; Senator Allen Clark withdrew the bill for revision.
Senator Allen Clark introduced SB385 to the Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee, saying the bill targets large‑scale logging inside gated residential communities after reports of extensive clearing in Diamond Head. Clark said the measure would not affect ordinary timber operations and described thresholds he added to limit scope — a 3‑acre minimum and a 2,000‑foot proximity cap — while acknowledging the bill needs clearer definitions of 'gated community.'
Why it matters: Residents and local officials said the Diamond Head work left tree tops and debris in creeks, caused erosion and sedimentation into Lake Catherine, and created what several witnesses called a fire‑fuel risk near homes. "This is not an anti‑logging bill — it is only a managed logging bill," said Kendra Raisner, a Diamond Head resident,…
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