2007-10-18 News

Maui County

It's Moratorium Time!

Council member Jo Anne Johnson makes a new bid to stop all West Maui ag land development

October 18, 2007

As county officials and residents continue to thrash out giant, controversial development projects in South Maui, County Council member Jo Anne Johnson has proposed a new West Maui-only moratorium on land development, say documents obtained by Maui Time. The moratorium would halt all construction on West Maui agricultural lands until the county updates the West Maui Community Plan and starts collecting traffic impact fees in the area—the latter of which was supposed to start way back in 1988.

"Agricultural subdivisions continue to be approved at a rapid rate in West Maui," Johnson wrote Council chairman G. Riki Hokama on Oct. 15 in a letter obtained by Maui Time. "This has resulted in serious threats to Maui County's economy, environment, and quality of life, as West Maui's infrastructure continues to be placed under major stress. Failing to act now will render moot any possible benefits that could be derived from the new policies to be incorporated into the updated West Maui Community Plan and the new funds available through the implementation of the West Maui traffic impact fees."

A draft of Johnson's moratorium, also obtained by Maui Time, is a little over two pages long but scathing in its depiction of the damage West Maui ag development inflicts on the entire island. Titled "A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH A TEMPORARY DEVELOPMENT MORATORIUM ON WEST MAUI AGRICULTURAL LAND," the bill notes that the continued construction of homes and mansions on West Maui ag land "causes traffic congestion and significant demands for core County functions and infrastructure, such as public safety, water, transportation, and wastewater, requiring costly improvements to physical infrastructure and public services." It also notes that further development "threatens to irreparably harm Maui County's economy and natural environment by depleting the County's water supply, polluting coastal waters, damaging coral reef, usurping important transit corridors and open space, and improperly using precious agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes."

The bill specifically exempts Hawaiian Homelands construction, any housing units exclusively sold or rented to residents making "very low," "low," "below-moderate" or "moderate" incomes, any government construction or improvements and repairs to any existing structure "that was legally erected." How long the moratorium would stand isn't clear, but Johnson said she thought it would take at least three years.

"Can you imagine how much money [the county] would have collected since 1988 if the traffic fees had been enacted?" Johnson asked me. "Talk about dropping the ball!"

Reports at press time indicate the Maui County Council could review the moratorium during its Nov. 2 meeting. Of course, Johnson has proposed development moratoriums before, but they've all been filed and forgotten. Should Hokama accept this one, it would likely end up in the County Council Planning Committee's lap.

"We sure don't have enough water," Johnson said. "[Development is] sprawling all over the place. You know what, boys? You've had enough. It's time to stop making money." MTW

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Bravo!
October 20, 2007 | 10:54 PM

I applaud her efforts!

t~
Finally
October 23, 2007 | 02:46 AM

This is exactly what we needed

Alan Akana
Can you say Common Sense?
October 23, 2007 | 03:00 AM

After watching the underhanded maneuvering of fake farm ag subdivisions on West Maui, especially outside both ends of our urban growth boundaries (Launiupoko and Honolua Ridge) It is obvious that our current system for developing ag subdivisions is not acceptable to our local communities. It has become apparent we need a better criteria and means to enforce what constitutes an ag subdivision. Specifically ag-subdivisions of more than three units need a public hearing and an EIS. These are real issues our community faces because we do not have resources or infrastructure to support anymore Launiupoko's, Honolua Ridge's, Ukumehame's, Olowalu's, Plantation Estates, etc. Upcountry and South Maui if this sounds like something you want for your district let your representative know and I'm sure Councilmember Johnsonn would be glad to work with anyone who wants the same consideration for their district. This is something that would be good for all of Maui. Let's be clear about this moratorium, it does not mean that there will be no building, this is specifically for ag subdivisions because the planning is not there for what the definition of ag subdivision has evolved into over the years and it is a temporary moratorium until we can establish guidelines that our community can agree on. What is the problem in allowing us to fix obviously flawed processes for the long term vision of a sustainable well thought out future for our future.

Tamara Paltin
October 23, 2007 | 03:14 AM

When unions go against proposals that are in the best interests of our community, in the long run and in the big picture, they go against their individual members. I hope the youth on Maui can see the end of construction in Maui is coming, our island can not sustain this pace of development and I hope with that knowledge they do not go into the construction industry if they want to stay in Maui and keep it Maui. But then what kind of jobs will they be able to get with minimal education that will make that type of income? We need more opportunities for our youth to work in conservation and restoration of our traditional lifestyle and resources. Kids love being outside, they love the beaches, hunting, fishing, riding dirtbike, etc. We need to take this love for the outdoors and teach responsible stewardship practices to all the youth of Hawaii especially the malahini so that they may learn because their parents being malahini as well, will not be able to teach them. This is where the solution to the union's problem of a moratorium lies. Our youth should not rely solely on construction and tourism, they are consumptive industries and if allowed to reign over residents as the only job solution will destroy our resources. Educate our keiki so they are not at the mercy of developers and tourist. We can have these things, but do not make us rely on them as our only economic development because these industries in their current form are not sustainable for our mo'opuna.

Ka'aina Kealoha
Enough Fake Farms
November 02, 2007 | 11:46 PM

We need better policies to enforce existing law HRS 205 before Maui becomes the next Oahu

Harper Ray
All ag lot subdivisions are not the same
December 17, 2007 | 04:39 PM

I'm not a fan of the continued willy nilly development and total lack of planning rut we're in. The county council and administration should be ashamed of the short sighted view taken and resulting mess we're in. That said, the development at Plantation Estates and Honolua Ridge should not be compared to those at Ukumehame, Olowalu and Launiapoko.
There is little comparison other than zoning, certainly not in the infra structure provided and the environmental concern designed and implemented.
One only need to go there and look at the roadways, drainage and water systems and conservation areas to see the significant difference.
The fault was in the County's lack of rural zoning alternatives not, in this case, the developers lack of community concern.

Jim

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