This morning (7/23/13) Maui County Planning Commission approved the zoning change and amending the Kihei Makena Community Plan for the site of the DOE Kihei High School mauka of the Pi’ilani Highway. near Kulanihakoi.  http://www.co.maui.hi.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/18079  These actions will move the lands from Ag to Public land use designation.. Your Association offered testimony to emphasize the dire need for safe pedestrian and bicycle routes to facilitate access from both mauka and makai areas of the Pi’ilani Highway. Reference was made to the State Land Use Commission’s (LUC) recent decision to require a safe over or underpass for access makai, but KCA also addressed that there is no safe access even when on same side of highway as school, as the only egress is the highway, with its substandard bike lane, and no sidewalk. KCA advocates for a “greenway,” somewhat similar to the bike path on the Mokulele, in that it is distinctly separated from the roadway with a barrier, hopefully green with some trees for aesthetics and to reduce road noise. In fact the four public testimonials were all from three current and one prior KCA Directors

The Commissioners voted 7-0 on both portions.