Mayor allows West Maui Community Plan ordinance to become law without signature
Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino has allowed the updated West Maui Community Plan ordinance to pass into law today without his signature. The Maui County Council approved the plan on Jan. 14, 2022.
“Overall, I believe the West Maui Community Plan is a very good plan,” explained Mayor Victorino. “However, I didn’t sign the ordinance because of my reservations about ’11th Hour’ changes that could jeopardize the property rights of Kahoma Village residents. I am always concerned by any piece of legislation that is not signed by Corporation Counsel.”
The updated plan continues to require multiple acres of parks on Kahoma Village land that is already built out with affordable housing. In 2014, the County Council approved construction of Kahoma Village by Resolution 14-14 through the 201-H expedited review process for affordable housing, despite other land uses for that site designated in the 1996 West Maui Community plan.
The County Council resurrected language from the 1996 plan to impose old conditions on land that’s already been fully developed. “This potentially puts Kahoma Village homeowners in legal jeopardy” since existing land use is inconsistent with the community plan, according to a press release issued by the Mayor.
Another late change reduced a previous designation of 64 acres for residential housing in Lahaina Town South (land mauka of the Lahaina Aquatic and Rec Center) down to 6 acres. “Planners have advised us this is an ideal spot for infill development of needed housing in West Maui and I believe this change deserves more discussion,” he said.
The mayor has asked the Planning Director to draft proposed amendments to rectify the plan’s current “legal ambiguity” and to allow for additional public input on Kahoma Village as well as revamped plans for Lahaina Town South.
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