Council to consider veto override of a bill seeking an interactive cultural overlay map

The Maui County Council will consider overriding former Mayor Michael Victorino’s veto of a bill to establish a cultural overlay map and improved permit review process during its meeting on Friday.

Councilmember Shane Sinenci said he introduced Bill 154 to prevent the desecration of burials and cultural resources that occurs when development is done without proper planning. He said preventing desecration will also reduce lawsuits, and the new permit review terms are intended to speed up the review process.

Sinenci said the new mapping process will allow users to see historic information, including the locations of pre- and post-contact events, such as battles, the signing of the Māhele and the drafting of the Hawaiian Constitution.

Mapping resources will also include manaʻo gleaned from Hawaiian language sources, including place names and their meanings, traditional knowledge of the environment, traditional forms of oral history, historic maps, and documents, photographs and audio and video clips of specific parcels or areas.

This information would be used to create sensitivity designations and allow for the principal archaeologist to review land use and development permits to avoid the cumbersome state review processes for projects with no concerns, he said.