New Ban on Maui: Commercial Ocean Recreation Activities Prohibited on Sundays and Holidays

Wailea Beach panorama. Photo credit: Wendy Osher 2019.

Starting on Jan. 1, 2020, the County of Maui will prohibit Commercial Ocean Recreation Activities at County beach parks on Sundays and holidays. County officials say the decision was made “following careful review of comments from the community and CORA permit holders.”

Mayor Michael Victorino and the Department of Parks and Recreation met with the permit holders on Oct. 23, 2019, to receive input regarding the proposed change.

The Mayor has committed to not proposing any increase to permit fees for Fiscal Year 2021, and will request funding in the budget for a study of County parks not included in a 2006 CORA study. These include Wailea, Polo and Waiehu beach parks, along with several others.

A letter notifying CORA permit holders of the change was sent last week.

“I want to sincerely thank our commercial operators for working with us and providing their input to help address this issue,” Mayor Victorino said. “Demand on our County parks continues to grow alongside increased visitor numbers, so I believe it’s vital that we strive to preserve our beaches for our residents. My hope is that our local children and families will be able to enjoy time together at the beach with more space and less crowds.”