Kihei Community Association members press for answers about proposed “big picture” for Mokulele corridor. “… what can we do to have a voice in the development?”
May 24, 2012Tom Blackburn-Rodriguez , The Maui Weekly
Still reeling from its inability to as yet influence or stop the planned Pi’ilani Promenade/Outlet Mall project mauka of Pi’ilani Highway, the Kihei Community Association (KCA) intends to get out in front of additional developments in Kihei that may be on the drawing board.
The association’s meeting on Tuesday, May 15, at the Kihei Charter School campus was supposed to do just that.
The meeting was promoted as an opportunity to “Learn About Projected Development Before It’s Approved.” Maui County Planning Department Director Will Spence and Long Range Planner David Yamashita were to join state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) District Land Agent Daniel Ornellas to explain what’s planned for the area on both sides of Mokulele Highway from South Pu’unene to the Kihei Gateway Plaza area.
But, it never happened.
Instead, only the Maui County planners showed up to give a presentation on the Pu’unene Motorsports Park Draft Master Plan Concept for upgrades and improvements to the existing Maui Raceway Park, the motorsports venue that now exists in the general area of the Hawai’i Army National Guard base that occupies a portion of the old Maui Airport (Pu’unene Airport) along Mokulele Highway.
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Jon Miller (left) asks Maui County Planning Director Will Spence (far right) if the community has any official legal standing in potential developments that may be planned on state Department of Hawaiian Homelands’ land along Mokulele Highway. Seated between them is Long Range Planner Supervisor David Yamashita. Miller was told the Kihei Community Association had no legal standing. Director Spence struggled to answer questions about the Mokulele Highway development plans of the Department of Hawaiian Homelands and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, whose representatives had confirmed their attendance--then did not appear at the meeting.
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This makes me think about our not so far future with Mega Mauls,office buildings,shopping centers,gas stations,apartments ,ect. filling the land looking like the 405 going to San Diego. How sad ! We need to do something now or our biggest driver ,our visitors will think they never left home so next time why waste their money when they can have the same view driving to a local L.A.beach. what happened to good planning ?
Aloha Jon,
Thank you KCA for hosting the meeting on the Proposed Development on Mokulele Highway. It was wonderful to meet you that night.
If you recall, I was livestreaming the discussion onto my Maui Island Plan page on Facebook. Here’s a link to that video: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/22619019
Since it is unclear if the public will have future opportunities to share their feedback on the Proposed Development on Mokulele Highway, I URGE concerned community members to SHARE THEIR INPUT with the GENERAL PLAN COMMITTEE at the MAY 29th meeting. It is IMPORTANT for the Council to know the community’s sentiment so they can send a message to the State.
I am also encouraging Don Couch to facilitate PUBLIC MEETINGS that bring the State, County, and Community together to shape the overall vision for Puunene.
Thanks for your good work, and I hope to see you at the General Plan Committee meetings on 5/29 & 5/30!
Best,
Mary
Maui already has an industrial and ‘big box’ commercial area in Kahului. Because customers already travel there from all over the island, similar new developments should be in that same area. This wouldn’t increase Kahului traffic very much and would minimize or eliminate wasteful additional driving, increased carbon emissions and spreading traffic congestion to more parts of the island?all reasonable goals for a “Planning” department.