Honolua Bay, Līpoa Point Preservation Plans Begin
A management plan is being developed for 244 acres of land at Honolua Bay and Līpoa Point in West Maui. The land was acquired by the state from Maui Land & Pineapple Inc. in 2014, in an effort to preserve the area in perpetuity.
The property is located makai of the Honoapiʻilani Highway and includes Honolua Bay, Kulaokaʻeʻa (the headland and coastal areas of Līpoa Point), Keoneheleleʻi “Windmills” Beach, and portions of Honokōhau Bay.
State officials say the area is currently unencumbered land under the state DLNR Land Division and is the home to abundant marine resources, terrestrial plants, historical and archaeological sites, and ocean recreation.
The site reportedly served as the launching point for the maiden voyage of the Hōkūleʻa in 1976. It is also the site of two heiau, boulders and grinding surfaces, house platforms, burial mounds, and archaeological terraces.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources is in the process of developing the management plan to help guide the preservation of environment, cultural, and recreational resources by balancing current and future uses of the area, along with practices to develop appropriate policies and actions.
A Honolua Bay and Līpoa Point Report prepared by an outside consultant provides the DLNR with a scope for developing the plan which will assist DLNR in establishing management objectives and policies, and identify appropriate agencies and organizations to consult with in the implementation of management.
The project is currently in the research and information gathering stage and future public meetings and workshops are planned.