HONOLULU -- A controversial City Council measure that would have lowered the threshold of the number of condominium owner occupants necessary for lease to fee conversion was killed Wednesday.

The decision was a surprising announcement to an emotionally charged and packed committee meeting room at the City Hall Wednesday.

"The chair's recommendation is to defer action on this bill, Bill 53, indefinitely," Councilman John Henry Felix said.

"Earlier this morning we learn that there is insufficient support to move it past this committee," Councilman Jon Yoshimura said.

Bill 53 was surviving on a 5-4 vote. Councilman Gary Okino changed his mind, effectively killing it, for now.

"The original intent is the way the Supreme Court ruled on this thing. It's not where half the owner occupants can trigger condemnation. So because of that, I changing my vote, and voting against Bill 53," said Okino.

After the announcement, many of the 100-plus people there to testify left, many did not.

"We're not stealing the land...We're talking about negotiating," bill supporter Fred Blacklund said.

"Webster's College Dictionary (says that) to force someone to (sell) what is rightfully theirs is stealing," said Victoria Takamine, who opposed Bill 53.

Many wondered if the Bill 53 could resurface.

"I give you my word that this bill will not be heard by this committee for the balance of my term," Felix said.

There'll be new council members come January. Okino thinks we've heard the last of Bill 53.

If the bill passed in its original form, up to 5,700 condo owners would have been eligible for lease to fee conversion. Now, only about 2,400 are eligible.

The condo owners vowed to fight another day. The opponents to Bill 53, many of them Native Hawaiians, enjoyed the victory.