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SUBJECT: MAUI ISLAND PLAN: MCA continues to monitor and supply testimony at Council meetings involving proposed updates to the Maui Island Plan and how they might affect Ma'alaea. Council has recently extended their review period until August 3, 2012.
Under discussion NOW are the controversial Urban Growth Boundaries. Due to the lack of supporting infrastructure, associated traffic problems, lack of adequate long term water sources, and other issues, MCA considers Ma'alaea to be an inappropriate choice for large scale development projects at the present time. (See Residential Development at Ma'alaea (Jesse Spencer Ohana Kai Project) below for more information.
The following links take you to County websites where you can find out more information:
Agendas and accompanying Items of Interest under discussion by the Council's General Plan Committee:
http://www.co.maui.hi.us/Archive.aspx?AMID=201
(Please note: Testimony MUST relate to proposed agenda items for that day and be only three minutes in length. To provide copies of your testimony, you will need 16 copies in total.)
Proposed Draft Maui Island Plan (entire document w/links to different Chapters):
http://www.co.maui.hi.us/index.aspx?NID=1503
Draft Maui Island Plan Maps:
http://www.co.maui.hi.us/index.aspx?NID=1756
Amendments proposed by Will Spence, current Planning Director, to Chapter Eight:
http://www.co.maui.hi.us/archives/201/feb%2023%202012.pdf
http://www.co.maui.hi.us/archives/201/Web_20120214DirectedGrowthChap8ToCouncilC1_C3.pdf
(Please note: The proposed amendments would substantially change the Maui Island Plan recommendations by the General Plan Advisory Committee, Planning Commission, and former Planning Directors. MCA has supported the General Plan Advisory Committee recommendations as being the most representative of the wishes of all the various communities on Maui. They also offer the strictest protections for cultural and historic sites, green space, parks and recreational areas, important agricultural lands, scenic views and environmental assets, while still allowing for substantial development to occur in carefully designated areas closest to existing infrastructure.)
Map of Proposed Urban Growth Boundaries for Ma'alaea:
http://www.co.maui.hi.us/archives/201/maalaea%20c4.pdf
(Please Note: This is the GPAC/Planning Commission recommended map, also supported by the current Planning Director, Will Spence. MCA supports this map as is.)
SUBJECT: RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AT MA'ALAEA: (Jesse Spencer "Ohana Kai" Project) (Updated: 7/4/2011)
Dear Friends and Neighbors of Ma'alaea:
The Ma`alaea Community Association (MCA) continues its opposition to massive residential development at Ma`alaea and requests your support and active participation during current review of the Maui Island Plan which will determine the future of Maui's development over the next 20 years. MCA opposes the expansion of Ma'alaea into an urban growth center. Both affordable and market-price housing needs are adequately addressed elsewhere in the plan, yet developers, e.g. Jesse Spencer may press for expansion of Ma'alaea without careful consideration of the likely impacts from such expansion.
MCA's concerns include:
• substantial traffic impacts
• loss of valuable "prime" ag land
• lack of supporting infrastructure
• threats to open space and scenic vistas and
• Inadequate water supply and sewage treatment, among others.
Background:
In January 2008, MCA prepared a detailed opposition to the proposed 900+unit Ma'alaea Mauka Residential Subdivision. The developers sold the 260-acre property to affordable housing developer Jesse Spencer, who despite the opposition by MCA and County planners, actively pursued "Ohana Kai"- a 1,100 + unit fast-track affordable housing project.
The current draft of the 2030 Maui Island Plan has passed the Planning Department, Maui's General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) and the Planning Commission. None of these official bodies support development at Ma'alaea and all recommend that prime agricultural lands surrounding Ma'alaea be preserved in perpetuity.
Under the current Kihei-Makena Community Plan, Ma'alaea project districts (Spencer's 260-acre parcel and A & B's 650 acres) are (still) designated for possible future growth. After the Maui Island Plan has been adopted, the County will pursue the community plan update process. MCA will request deletion of both project districts from the Kihei Plan.
MCA is NOT against affordable housing. We opposed the original project Of Ma'alaea Mauka which included a mix of market and affordable homes and was less dense than Spencer’s Ohana Kai proposal. We are against residential development at Ma`alaea because of its LOCATION and the impact that thousands of cars at Ma`alaea could have on the island's main transportation corridors.
This is not just a Ma'alaea issue. Ma'alaea is the gateway to Lahaina and the main intersecting point for Kihei and Wailuku traffic.
IMPACTS:
Here is a short list of some of the many reasons why we oppose development at Ma`alaea:
• Will add thousands more vehicles to Honoapi'ilani Highway at Ma'alaea, the gateway to Lahaina. With limited opportunities for jobs and other amenities in the area, new residents would have to drive to Wailuku, Kahului, Kihei or Lahaina for almost everything, adding more traffic to the highway in all directions. This project is not close to where anyone works, worships, or attends school.
• Honoapiilani Highway between Ma'alaea and Lahaina and the treacherous "Pali" is the scene of frequent traffic accidents and road closures. Thousands of additional cars at this main access point could cause additional delays to residents traveling to and from work or visitors traveling to and from resorts and the airport.
• The 260-acre property is designated "prime" ag land. Development will destroy Ma`alaea's valuable ag. lands now protected in the proposed Maui Island Plan. These prime ag. lands contribute to Maui's future sustainability and should be preserved for the use of future generations. Ma`alaea ag lands are currently being used for cattle grazing and could be used for growing energy and food crops for Maui's future sustainability.
• The proposed project site has three wells, but salinity levels in the project’s wells are already high and increased use of the wells will raise those levels to unacceptable heights, making the water undrinkable. Where will the project’s water come from then? Will residents be able to afford desalinization?
• The development provides little or no supporting infrastructure. The developer designates sites for a school and fire station, but there are no funds to build a school or fire station. There is no police station. It will be impossible for government to provide the infrastructure in this economic climate when essential services have already been cut.
• The proposed development straddles important planned Transportation Corridor No. 2. Makes future light rail option impossibly expensive if homes must be acquired and removed at a later date. Residents of the proposed project may also object to light rail going right through their neighborhood.
• Destroys Ma'alaea's "Sense of Place." Ma`alaea's open space corridor provides scenic vistas for not only Ma`alaea residents but all Maui residents and visitors passing through the Ma`alaea area on their way to Kihei, Kahului, Lahaina or Wailuku. Development at this critical crossroads will destroy these scenic vistas and will mean the end of tranquil seaside Ma'alaea as we know it.
• Massive urbanization at the gateway to West Maui is poor planning and will affect not only Ma'alaea residents but everyone passing through the area en route to West Maui.
• The need for housing is already being met in the proposed Maui Island Plan, which calls for up to 40,000 more new homes--many affordable--to be built in Central, South and West Maui. These new developments will already mean an increase in traffic.
• Adds thousands of people wanting to access Ma'alaea shoreline and/or tiny Haycraft Beach Park. With only one shoreline access point (No. 124), so many new users would overwhelm the park. Hau'oli Street is inadequate to accommodate the additional associated traffic and parking.
Please help us defeat this proposal before it is too late.
If/when the project ever gets to Council for approval or inclusion in the Maui Island Plan, Jesse Spencer likely will pack Council chambers with hundreds of "unemployed" construction workers demanding approval of this "make-work" project. While jobs are important, they should not take precedence over good planning or Maui's ability to create a sustainable future.
Spencer will tell the Council that Ma'alaea residents opposing this project are a bunch of affluent and elitist Mainland absentee "NIMBY's" who don't want "affordable housing" in our backyard.
CALL TO ACTION:
You don't have to be a Ma`alaea resident to be concerned about the impact this development would have on the entire island of Maui.
Your support is needed. Please join our efforts to oppose the urbanization of Ma’alaea. You can help by writing letters and contacting the Maui County Council as soon as we know the item has been placed on the Council's agenda.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
• Let Mayor Alan Arakawa know you support the Planning Department, the GPAC and the Maui Planning Commission in their opposition to development at Ma`alaea. (200 S. High Street, Wailuku, HI 96973) or email alan_arakawa@mauicounty.us.
• Write the members of the Maui County Council (200 S. High Street, Wailuku, HI 96973) and give the reasons why Ma'alaea is the WRONG LOCATION for a huge development of the size of Ohana Kai and should NOT be urbanized. Be sure to mention that you live, vote and pay taxes in Maui (if you can honestly say so). Please see list of Council members below.
• Take a few minutes and send a brief email to all Council Members telling them, calmly and politely, and in your own words, why you oppose urbanization of Ma’alaea.
• Email addresses of Maui County Council Members:
Council Chairman Danny Mateo: danny.mateo@mauicounty.us
Council Vice Chairman Joseph Pontanilla: joseph.pontanilla@mauicounty.us
Council Member Gladys Baisa: gladys.baisa@mauicounty.us
Council Member Robert Carroll: robert.carroll@mauicounty.us
Council Member Elle Cochran: elle.cochran@mauicounty.us
Council Member Donald G.Couch Jr.: don.couch@mauicounty.us
Council Member Riki G. Hokama: riki.hokama@mauicounty.us
Council Member Michael Victorino: michael.victorino@mauicounty.us
Council Member Mike White: mike.white@mauicounty.us
• A Letter to the Editor of The Maui News can also be useful - the Mayor and County Council read these letters regularly. Follow the simple instructions at the following link:
Link to The Maui News Virtual Newsroom for Letters to the Editor:
http://vnr.oweb.net/vnr/add_submission.asp?categoryID=769&publicationID=110
Again, please use your own words, as we defeat our purpose if everyone sends in a letter that says exactly the same thing. In such a case, the editor will print only one.
• Please feel free to send a copy of this letter on to neighbors whose email addresses you know.
• Check the MCA website for updates: www.mcamaui.org.
• If we have your email address, we will notify you of upcoming Council hearings so you can show up and testify.
How many citizens will stand up and be counted now, when it really matters?
Help us preserve ag lands and open space in Ma'alaea. Not just for today, but for future generations to come.
Mahalo!
Your friends and neighbors in the Ma'alaea Community Association (MCA)
Pam Daoust, President
Rob Riebling, Vice President, Past president
Gary Smith, Secretary, Past President
Tom Royer, Treasurer
Lynn Britton, Director, Past President
Tim Collins, Director
Jeanne McJannet, Director
Betty Morris, Director
Rick Miller, Director
*SEE BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL LINKS TO INFO ON THIS SUBJECT
SUBJECT: HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS: (Updated: 6/28/2011)
Construction of leach fields, sewer and water lines, and site electrical underground work on the South side of Buzz's Wharf is complete. This area will be cleaned up and put back into usable service as determined by the DLNR Harbor Master.
Starting Tuesday, 7/5/11, the Contractor will be moving their crews into the area of the harbor's South break wall (South mole) between boat slips #42 to #80. Parking spaces will be displaced in this area for approximately two months.
The Contractor is responsible for and will maintain service vehicle access and pedestrian foot traffic to the slips in this area at all times. The contractor will provide proper barricades and traffic control and parking restriction signage will be provided.
Construction will consist of water, sewer and electrical utility lines improvements along the South mole. A sewage surge tank and sewer pump station will be installed across from slip #42. A new electrical meter building, electrical shore power outlets, 3/4" water lines and overhead street light standards will be installed along the interior harbor side of the break wall.*
*The above information was provided by Don Brandenburg, consultant/managing agent.
SUBJECT: FORMER MA'ALAEA COMMUNITY GARDEN:(Updated: 7/14/2011):
MCA has not held the lease with A & B on the garden since 2004. The current leaseholder is Maui Disabled Veteran’s, Inc. For many years Pastor Agapito Samiento and a number of community volunteers have used and maintained the garden, introducing flower beds, a butterfly garden, etc. which have enhanced the garden and made it into a community asset.
The Maui Disabled Veteran’s, Inc. is said to have plans for a Hawaiian Village on the site. President, Ned Purdy, was invited to MCA’s July 2nd meeting to share their plans for the area but did not respond to the invitation.
Community volunteers and Pastor Aga report disagreements about use/maintenance of their activities at the garden. MCA recently met with A & B’s Mr. Grant Chun in an effort to resolve differences. It is hoped that until any future plans for the garden are finalized and approved, current activities may continue unabated in a spirit of mutual cooperation. MCA’s concerns include proper maintenance and ongoing beautification of the garden area, parking/noise issues, and that any future uses of the garden compliment the residential lifestyle of the surrounding community, as they have done in the past.
MCA welcomes Maui Disabled Veterans, Inc. to Ma’alaea and looks forward to a warm and cordial association with them.
*ADDITIONAL LINKS RELATED TO OHANA KAI ISSUES:
