Numerous Public Testifiers materialize in Planning Room way before 9:00 AM commencement

#kihei #makena

1/10/17 This morning your Community Association voiced the community’s concerns and opinions about ATC Makena Holdings request for a final determination on their Environment Assessment (EA) .We were at the half way point of 60+ public testifiers for the morning session, & interestingly found we served as a near dividing line of positions. While the very first testifier was professional planner & county employee, Jeffery Dach, who took a vacation day to stand up as an individual in opposition, almost all of next 20 who immediately followed him(the earliest arrivals) were in support. Many advised they were employees of the developing entities or worked in construction industry.  The next wave began calling for a full EIS (as KCA did). Of further interest was yet another County planner who was not representing the department at this hearing, shoreline expert Jim Buika spoke unfavorably of granting approval. At lunch break when testimony closed for “early” testimony – before developers’ presentations- we had the opposed voices slightly in majority.

As we were unable to spend the afternoon we could not offer first hand witness to the remaining process, but through networking, we can report Commission deferred any action. Look for Maui News report for details.