Bill seeks to expedite rebuilding of homes and businesses in Lahaina and Upcountry Maui

The Water and Infrastructure Committee will meet Thursday at 9 a.m. to discuss a bill to support the recovery of Lahaina and Upcountry Maui after the August 2023 wildfires, Council Member Thomas Cook announced today.

Bill 21 (2024), submitted by the county’s Department of Public Works, would amend the Maui County Code in an effort to broaden the applicability of emergency-repair provisions and clarify the review and approval procedures for emergency-repair permits.

The legislation is intended to help the rebuilding of housing, public facilities and businesses damaged or destroyed by the fires, Cook said.

“The WAI Committee previously met to discuss expediting the permitting process, and I am grateful for the work the administration has already done to address this issue,” said Cook, who chairs the committee. “We need to do everything we can to help displaced residents rebuild, which this bill seeks to do.”

A representative from the county’s Office of Recovery advised that approximately 1,100 residential properties would qualify under the bill’s expedited permitting process, Cook said.

Cook said he hopes to see improved procedures applied countywide to simplify and improve the efficiency of the county’s permitting process as a whole, without compromising compliance and safety.

Legislation and the council-meeting agenda are accessible at mauicounty.us/agendas. In-person, online and phone testimony is welcome at all meetings.