9/10/18 #kihei
Nearing the conclusion of her two-year term as our resident County Council member, Kelly King has faithfully met with the KCA board at our office each quarter to offer an update and answer all questions. So here she was again at 10:00 AM with her EA Kate, today responding to queries about truly affordable housing for South Maui, specifically two 100% affordable rentals: Kaiwahine Village set for a blessing this month (hurricanes permitting) , and Kenolio Apartments, possibly starting this November. The topic of “Tiny Houses” was also on the table, which – using a little-known “experimental” County zoning – could place up to nine structures on a one acre plot, with each prefabricated structure having one or two bedrooms and costing $45k-60k.

Of course, any housing discussion leads to the topic of unsheltered people here and what is and should be done to change the situation over the next two years until any of these apartments are available. It is a year since her first public meeting on the topic on a Saturday morning up at the R & T Park. Kelly is currently looking into a mobile unit, which could park overnight on County land in Kihei and then roll to needed locations to provide sanitary facilities to those in need in various locations.

Infrastructure, including all facets of multi-modal transportation continues to be a concern, as well as public safety, specifically at Kalama park, and never goes away.

A County administration holdup awaiting a Planning Department permit is delaying repairing and updating the Kalama Park Skate Park. This is an issue in which we asked for Kelly’s help. In addition, assistance with the Hawaii Department of Transportation re Kula Makai Moku road & river signage.

The upcoming Megamall lands public meeting at St Teresa Church Hall 9/17, 6 PM and the rescheduled State Land Use Commission (LUC) hearing 11/19/18 were also discussed. Other matters included getting an LUC meeting re High School pedestrian and bike transportation issues which KCA has requested; the Mayor’s budget meeting 10/2/18 at 5:30 PM, and the outlook for the February 2019 Kihei Whale Day. It will be important for the community to come out at the LUC meeting to hold the Department of Education to the requirement to provide a safe crossing (preferably an underpass) to the new High School at the highway.