Honuaʻula project yanked from Friday’s Council agenda over ‘procedural requirement’

A “procedural requirement” sidelined the hotly disputed Honuaʻula master-planned community Thursday, after it had been posted for first-reading action on Friday’s Maui County Council agenda.

Bills 171 and 172 would amend land-use and development standards for the 670-acre South Maui development, formerly known as “Wailea 670.” A public hearing on the bills was also canceled.

“The Department of Planning advised the council this week that the Maui Planning Commission inadvertently failed to fulfill a procedural requirement for Bills 171 and 172,” said Lee, who holds the seat for the Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū residency area. “The council will pause its consideration of the bills until the commission has conducted a public hearing in the South Maui community plan area, as required by the County Code.”

With the cancellations, oral testimony will not be taken on Housing and Land Use Committee report that had recommended passage of the Honuaʻula land-use measures, over the objections of minority Council members. Proposed amendments to the bills from Council Members Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, Tamara Paltin and Gabe Johnson also will not be considered.

Among other things, the Housing and Land Use Committee recommended in Bill 171 that references to 450 affordable units be eliminated from the project district ordinance for the Kīhei-Mākena Project District 9. The bill also would delete mention of a golf course or golf course-related uses and facilities. The measure would add cultural and educational centers as permitted principal uses and structures. The project area is mauka of Wailea and adjacent to Maui Meadows.

Other Friday agenda items, including second-and-final reading or proposed ordinances, will go forward as planned.

Honuaʻula project opponent Maui Tomorrow issued a news release late Thursday cheering the “great news” about what it called the “Wailea 670” cancellation.

“Mahalo to everyone who sent written testimony to have your voices heard on this important issue to preserve affordable housing on Maui,” Maui Tomorrow’s news release said.

It attributed the cancellation to an email from the group’s executive director to Lee to “alert her” to Maui County Code sections that require a public hearing in South Maui.

The news release said that Lee later informed Maui Tomorrow that she had decided to cancel Council consideration of the project to allow the Maui Planning Commission the opportunity to conduct a public hearing in South Maui.