New Maui Rules Include Restricting Occupancy at All Retail Businesses to 30 Percent

A new set of amended emergency rules are set to go into effect for Maui County on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 12:01 a.m.

30 Percent Max Occupancy for All Retail Businesses in Maui County

Although Maui Mayor Michael Victorino had requested that occupancy be reduced to 50% for smaller businesses, county officials say the state wanted a “uniform policy.” Instead the state approved a maximum capacity at 30 percent or less for all retail businesses, including smaller retailers like mom-and-pop shops. The provision was initially sought only for larger retailers like Target, Costco and Walmart, which were given as examples.

County officials say the new 30 percent occupancy limit for all retail business can be determined by taking the total interior footage, dividing it by 36 square feet (that’s a six foot buffer per person), and multiplying that by 30 percent.

An example would be a shop with 4,000 square feet would have an allowable occupancy of 34 customers.

Bars and Restaurants Still Subject to 10 p.m. Closure for Dine-in; Curbside or Drive Through Service May Continue Beyond That Time

Bars and restaurants still remain subject to a 10 p.m. closure for dining-in services; however, the new county rules allow for alcohol-free take-out sales to continue beyond that time, provided that customers drive through or use curbside pickup service. Customers may not enter the restaurant after 10 p.m.

Face Mask Rules Revised to Clarify for Beach/Pool Areas:

Face mask rules have been revised to clarify masking guidelines for pool and beach areas. Face coverings must be worn while walking to and from a pool or beach area, and may only be removed once the person is stationary or adequately separated from non-household members.

“This prevents people from interacting as they are going back to or from the beach or pool without their masks on,” said Maui County Managing Director Sandy Baz.

Once you are on the beach you can then take off your mask, as long as you are staying with people from your own household and are separated from individuals from other households.

Revised Mask Rules at Gyms, Yoga Studios and Similar Venues:

Rules have also been revised, requiring gyms, yoga studios and other similar venues–both indoors and outdoors–be subject to the same rules that require face coverings be worn at all times.

Changes to Pre-Travel Testing Program

Travelers are reminded that if they do not want to be subject to a 10-day mandatory quarantine, a pre-travel COVID-19 test must be taken and come back negative prior to arrival in Maui County.

All interisland and transpacific travelers who want to avoid the 10-day quarantine by pre-testing negative for COVID-19 within the State’s Safe Travels Program must also: (1) Download either the AlohaSafe Alert application or another Google-Apple Exposure Notification System application (2) Or enable their exposure notification setting on their mobile device.

If you are coming from another state that has their own system and you have that on your phone already, you would need show it to the screeners.

Those who arrive on Maui and have not downloaded the app will be asked to download it. On iPhones, there’s a way to flip a switch and it is turned on, without having to download anything.

Interisland travelers now need to have their pre-travel test uploaded before they leave for Maui, and you have to use the Aloha Safe Alert app or another Google-Apple Exposure Notification System application.

Proof of registration is showing your phone as you go through. Failure to register with an exposure notification system prior to arrival within Maui County will require a mandatory 10 day quarantine.

There are exceptions: Those under the age of 18 without mobile devices, or adults without a mobile device, at least one individual in their traveling party must comply.

Interisland travelers whose negative COVID-19 test results are not uploaded upon arrival must quarantine for 10 days or the duration of their stay in Maui County–whichever is shorter.

Previously this was only effective for trans-Pacific travelers. Now its effective for both trans-Pacific and inter-county travel.

Those subject to quarantine who need to pay commercial lodging must quarantine at an approved hotel–those are listed at the mauicounty.gov website. They may not stay at a short-term vacation rental or bed-and-breakfast or transient vacation rental.

“This amendment provides consistency for interisland and trans-Pacific travelers with pending test results.

Critical infrastructure workers and others with limited quarantine requirements who are seeking an exemption to traveling into Maui County must first request the exemption through mauicounty.gov, and provide all required documentation prior to travel. Once registered and all documents are received, an approval notice will be sent.

Those who obtain a limited quarantine exemption must also download and present the screeners either with the Aloha Safe Alert app or some other approved application.

The newly amended public health emergency rules are posted in their entirety at the County of Maui website.