Council gives initial approval for Molokaʻi Education Center expansion

Maui County Council members voted unanimously this morning to approve land use measures on first reading for expansion of the University of Hawaiʻi, Maui College’s plans for a new 3,300-square-foot classroom building at the Molokaʻi Education Center in Kaunakakai.

Bills 83 and 84 provide a district boundary amendment from agricultural to urban district and a change of zoning from interim to public/quasi-public, respectively, for 5.27 acres at 375 Kamehameha V Highway.

About 100 additional students will be able to attend classes in a new, $3.7 million classroom building that will be connected with an existing structure. Plans also call for a new storage building, a detention basin and improved grass parking, landscaping and an irrigation system.

The project will also need building and grading permits as well as those for construction in coastal and flood hazard zones.

Maui College has been offering higher-education classes on Molokaʻi since 1970. The current Molokaʻi Education Center opened in 1999 and serves nearly 250 students. The college hopes to use the new classroom building to serve a growing demand from students and offer additional programs and degrees.

The building also will provide space for larger events such as graduations, exhibits, lectures and community events.

The land-use measure advance to second-and-final reading by the Council and then final approval from Mayor Richard Bissen.