Senate Bill 2927 is one of the “dirty” bills identified by environmentalists. It calls for zoning exemptions for transit-oriented development — aka TOD — around Oahu rail and bus sites.

The bill passed the House Tuesday (April 10) and now heads to conference committee, but not before many Republicans and House dissident Democrats condemned the legislation.

It opens the door wide to unfettered development, said GOP legislators like Barbara Marumoto and Cynthia Thielen.

Not so, countered majority Democrats like Derek Kawakami and Sharon Har, who argued that expediting of projects is needed for smart growth of mixed-use communities.