Hotel Expansion Expected in South Kihei

UPDATE 12/22/20 County Administration Review panel looks at their SMA permit on 1/5/21. Urban Design Review Board for January 5 at 10:00 AM. The meeting will be online only with the Meeting Code 572327572. The link to the agenda https://www.mauicounty.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/27860

UPDATE 12/15/20 THEY HAVE NOW APPLIED TO COUNTY PLANNING FOR A SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA PERMIT. Stay tuned

6/22/19 #kihei.

For decades we have performed reviews of proposed construction projects in South Maui. A few years ago we really improved the process by introducing our smart growth scorecards.

You may note that opening line: “Aloha. Please meet with us early in your design process”, followed by the reasons why we ask this.

However many times we are approached with a nearly final design, so when we offer suggested improvement, we are advised we are too late. This, of course, limits what we can then impart for community benefit.

So we were really impressed when the Pacific Rim Land trio advised they had some exceedingly early information on a potential expansion of the South Kihei M aui Coast Hotel on South Kihei Road, only offering very preliminary information, accompanied by some conceptual plans which they shared. We found it refreshing.

They are considering using open land already owned by MCH adjacent to the existing structure, adding about 150 rooms and a second swimming pool, as well as the dreaded additional parking. So, yes, we hear our infrastructure groaning.

But having the support of this local business for well over a decade and open communications, we are aware that there is some mitigation in place.

One agreeable factor is that many of their recurring customers use a shuttle service to transport them from Kahului airport. Also, MCH provides free bicycles to their guests.

(Now, if we can only develop better safer places for bike riding!)

So while this was a welcomed, very early step, we did impart our general desire to see low impact design used and offered general suggestions along these lines.

Stay tuned for a future step when we may be up to using the preliminary smart growth scorecard.