Image source: http://mauinow.com/files/2015/07/maalaea-plantation-subdivision-1.jpg

A lawsuit has been filed disputing the Hawai‘i State Office of Environmental Quality Control’s final assessment of MVI LLC’s Mā‘alaea Plantation Development plan.

The Mā‘alaea Plantation plan proposes 113 new lots on 257 acres mauka-side of Mā‘alaea between Honoapi‘ilani Highway and the West Maui Mountains. Each lot will be at least one acre. The plan currently calls for 55 market-priced rural lots and 58 affordable lots. This new community will also have a 2.8 acre neighborhood park, 30 acres of drainage reserves and retention basins, 13.2 acres of roads and 84.8 acres of agriculture land.

MVI is a longtime, family-owned Hawai‘i development company that has already constructed over 1,000 affordable homes on the Island of Maui.

This past October, the Maui County Department of Housing & Human Concerns issued a statement claiming that it found ‘“no significant environmental impact” for the Mā‘alaea Plantation plan. The final assessment was then sent to the Hawai‘i State Office of Environmental Quality Control for publication. This step allowed for a 30-day comment period for the public any and all affected parties.

Image source: https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8094/8582996611_8684f1e6fc_b.jpg

During the comment period, Maui Tomorrow and the Mā‘alaea Community Association filed the lawsuit against Maui County and MVI, requesting that a Second Circuit Court judge finds the County of Maui and MVI in violation of state-mandated environmental law.

The plaintiffs believe that the developer’s plan is “invalid and illegal.” The groups also claim that the project assessment does not meet the Mā‘alaea Community Association’s conditions for support.

To learn more about the plaintiffs’ argument, the Mā‘alaea Community Association website is updated with the most current information.

In addition, MCA’s Annual Meeting takes place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan, 12, 2016, at the Pacific Whale Foundation Discovery Center Classroom (lower level of the Mā‘alaea Harbor Shops).

Mahalo for reading! What are your thoughts on the lawsuit? Maui needs affordable housing, but what about the environmental impact? Share your comments below…

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113 Lot Māʻalaea Plantation Subdivision Seeks Fast Track Approval