The state Small Business Regulatory Review Board has voiced its opposition to changes at Kewalo Basin commercial small-boat harbor that are being proposed by another state agency.

The review board is recommending that Gov. Linda Lingle not approve new rules for the Kaka'ako harbor as proposed by the Hawai'i Community Development Authority.

Transferring management of Kewalo Basin has been in the works for more than a year after the state Department of Transportation sought to quit operating the harbor because the HCDA owns the property.

The proposed HCDA rule changes for the 127-slip harbor include opening slips to recreational boaters, managing harbor operations through a private contractor and raising slip fees to finance repair of about 45 slips that cannot be used because of long-neglected maintenance.

Under a planned two-tier slip fee structure, the harbor's roughly 80 existing tenants would pay 12 percent more for their slips, while new tenants would pay double for slips after they are renovated and returned to service.

More than a dozen harbor tenants — which include primarily fishermen and a mix of charters for fishing, parasailing, tours and scuba diving — testified against the new rules at an HCDA public hearing earlier this month.

The Small Business Regulatory Review Board held its own meetings on the issue during which it heard from harbor users and HCDA officials, and voted unanimously to recommend against the rule changes.

Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com.