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MAUI COUNTY, HAWAII · GENERAL PLAN INTRODUCTION
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Maui Island Plan, Introduction - Maui County, Hawaii

Maui Island Plan, Introduction - Maui County, Hawaii
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Page 1

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

Even the construction of a house, whether a hale, tepee, sticks, or mortar, requires a plan. The bigger your house is, the greater the need for a blueprint. ~American proverb

⬚ figure

View from the top, West Maui Mountains.

The Maui Island Plan is a blueprint that provides direction for future growth, the economy, and social and environmental decisions on the island through 2030. The Maui Island Plan incorporates input from people across the island through a series of community meetings held over several years. The Maui Island Plan is, in essence, the people’s plan. The Plan establishes a vision, founded on core values that break down into goals, objectives, policies, and actions. In addition, the Plan incorporates lessons from the past. Key events throughout history have influenced the island’s settlement patterns and sense of place. This introduction provides a brief overview of Maui’s historical patterns and current conditions. The lessons from the past, combined with a vision for the future, have resulted in the Maui Island Plan.

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INTRODUCTION

THE PURPOSE OF THE MAUI ISLAND PLAN

The Maui Island Plan (MIP) accomplishes the following:

  • Assesses existing conditions, trends, and issues specific to the island of Maui;
  • Provides policy direction for the use and development of land, extension and improvement of transportation services and infrastructure, development of community facilities, expansion of the island's economic base, provision of housing, and protection of natural and cultural resources;
  • Establishes policies to manage change and to direct decisions about future land use and development; and
  • Provides the foundation to set capital improvement priorities, revise zoning ordinances, and develop other implementation tools.

Specific Outcomes

The MIP looks comprehensively at many factors that influence the physical, social, and economic development of the island. The MIP establishes a Directed Growth Strategy, which identifies areas appropriate for future urbanization and revitalization. The MIP also identifies and addresses key environmental, housing, and economic development issues relevant to Maui’s current and future generations.

The MIP will be used by the County Council, the Maui Planning Commission, County staff, and the community as a policy foundation for day-to-day decision making in the following ways:

  • Developing, implementing, and applying policies and regulations (e.g., zoning and other ordinances, including Community Plans that describe the kind of development that is allowed);
  • Determining the appropriateness of discretionary development proposals; and
  • Assigning resources for capital investments and programmatic initiatives.

It is not intended that ministerial permits be reviewed for consistency with all of the MIP goals, objectives, policies, diagrams and maps.

The MIP also communicates preferences to the State of Hawai‘i regarding land use, open space, transportation, natural resources, and other issues common to both the County and the State. Just as important, the MIP expresses expectations about future development to residents, property owners, developers, and the business community. It eliminates much of the guesswork from the development approval process and provides clear direction of expectations to the development sector. As a result, the MIP can serve as a catalyst for change by introducing new ideas and development models.

Maui County General Plan

The Maui County General Plan (General Plan) is a term for a series of ordinances that provide direction for future growth and policy creation in the County. The Countywide Policy Plan acts as an overarching values statement, and is an umbrella policy document that provides direction for the MIP and Community Plans.

The Community Plans reflect the unique characteristics of each Community Plan Area and enable residents within those areas to address specific challenges. Figure I-1 illustrates the relationship of the various planning documents that comprise the General Plan.

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INTRODUCTION

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Figure I-1: General Plan Documents.

Technical Studies

The technical studies developed to support the MIP include the following:

  1. Socio-Economic Forecast: The Economic Projections for the Maui County General Plan 2030, June 2006 (Maui County Planning Department);
  2. Land Use Forecast, Island of Maui, Maui County General Plan 2030, November 2006 (PlanPacific, Inc.);
  3. Scenic Historic Resources Inventory and Mapping Methodology Reports, June 2006 (Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.);
  4. WalkStory PlanStory: A Report on the Responses of Participants, December 2006 (Fern Tiger Associates);
  5. Maui Island Housing Issue Paper, A Discussion Paper for the Maui County General Plan Update, December 2006 (John M. Knox & Associates, Inc.);
  6. Proposed Roadway Development Program, January 2007 (Fehr & Peers/Kaku Associates);
  7. Public Facilities Assessment Update, County of Maui, March 9, 2007 (R.M. Towill Corporation);
  8. County of Maui Infrastructure Assessment Update, May 2003 (Wilson Okamoto & Associates, Inc.);
  9. Telecommunications Assessment, January 2007 (Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.);
  10. Agricultural Resources Technical Issue Paper, September 2007 (Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.);
  11. Rural Areas Technical Issue Paper, December 2007 (Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.);
  12. Heritage Resources Technical Issue Paper, September 2007 (Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.);
  13. Economic Development Issue Paper, Island of Maui, Maui County General Plan 2030, October 2007 (PlanPacific, Inc., in association with John M. Knox & Associates, Inc., Tom Dinell, FAICP, and Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.);
  14. Infrastructure and Public Facilities Technical Issue Paper, September 2007 (Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.);
  15. Directed Growth Strategy—Transfer and Purchase of Development Rights Program Implementation Study, November 2007 (Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.);
  16. Maui Island History: Lessons From the Past — A Guide to the Future, September 2006 (Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.);
  17. Long-range Capital Improvement Program: Infrastructure Planning and Delivery Challenges, September 2007 (Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.);
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INTRODUCTION

  1. Directed Growth Plan, Site Evaluation Methodology, September 2007 (Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.);
  2. Population and Economic Projections for the State of Hawaii to 2040, March 2012 (Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, State of Hawaii); and
  3. Technical Reference Maps: Natural & Environmental Conditions Map, Cultural Resources Overlay/Scenic Corridor Protection Map, Marine Resource Special Area Management Zone Map, Sensitive Lands Map, Natural Hazards Map, and Agricultural Land Protection Map.

Maui Island Plan Process

Chapter 2.80B, Maui County Code (MCC), was enacted in 2004, and ordinances amending the chapter were enacted in the following two years. Chapter 2.80B revised the process for updating the General Plan. Chapter 2.80B requires that the General Plan identify and describe the major opportunities and challenges facing the County, as well as the social, economic, and environmental impacts of development. In addition, Chapter 2.80B mandates that the General Plan set forth the desired sequence, patterns, and characteristics of future development. Chapter 2.80B also modified the prior General Plan process by requiring that a Countywide Policy Plan be prepared first, followed by a MIP, and then the nine Community Plans.

Chapter 2.80B requires that the Countywide Policy Plan, MIP, and Community Plans be internally consistent, with compatible vision, principles, goals, policies, implementing actions, and land use maps. All agencies are required to comply with the ordinances that comprise the General Plan. All zoning ordinances, subdivision ordinances, and administrative actions by agencies are required to be consistent with the General Plan. Preparation of County budgets and capital improvement programs are required to implement the General Plan to the extent practicable.

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Focus Maui Nui, Wailuku.

Public Participation

There have been several formats for public-participation opportunities throughout the General Plan Update process, including Focus Maui Nui, General Plan Update outreach events, General Plan Advisory Committee meetings, and the Maui Planning Commission and County Council review process. These are described on pages 3-4 of the Countywide Policy Plan, adopted by Ordinance No. 3732 (2010).

Plan Format and Organization

The format of the MIP is based on best practices in preparing comprehensive plans.1 The MIP is divided into chapters addressing the requirements of Chapter 2.80B. Each chapter provides a summary of pertinent background information regarding trends and forecasts and identifies significant regional challenges and opportunities. Each chapter contains a series of goals, objectives, policies, and actions. A goal is articulated as a desired end state, is aspirational, and is framed as a general statement of the desires

Footnotes

  1. Anderson, Larz T. (1995). Guidelines for Preparing Urban Plans (APA Planners Press, Chicago). ↩

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INTRODUCTION

of the community in addressing a given issue. An objective, oftentimes measurable or quantifiable, serves as a benchmark to monitor the achievement of the goal. Both goals and objectives are intended to be guidelines and should not be construed as regulations. A policy is a specific statement that provides direction to decision makers, and is based on implementing goals and accomplishing objectives. The construction of a policy determines whether it is intended to be a guideline or a regulation. An action is a procedure, a program, or a technique to carry out policies.

Where applicable, maps are included at the end of a chapter. The MIP incorporates diagrams and two types of maps within the plan: background maps and Directed Growth Maps.

Diagrams are a graphical expression of the Plan’s policies. Many types of policies lend themselves well to graphical treatment, such as the distribution of land uses, infrastructure, and natural resources. Diagrams are primarily intended to provide useful information and guidance in creating future regulations, management, or facility plans.

Background maps depict existing or projected baseline information (such as environmental conditions, population and employment trend data, and existing infrastructure facilities) and are intended to help the reader understand conditions that may have influenced policy proposals. These maps were largely developed to assist in the Directed Growth Plan as well as to guide the County in identifying and addressing relevant issues. These maps are not intended to be used in any land use permitting, decision making or project review, but rather, are informational in nature. Background maps are not intended to be regulatory.

All of the Directed Growth Maps are regulatory.

Implementation

Implementing the policies and actions established in the MIP will require a coordinated effort from numerous agencies, community groups, and private business. Implementation mechanisms include planning and regulatory approaches, capital improvement programming, special implementation programs, and monitoring and evaluation. Implementing the goals of the MIP will require updating and revising existing planning and regulatory processes as well as establishing new programs and initiatives.

The goals, objectives, policies, and actions in the MIP are consistent with and implement the goals, objectives, policies, and actions of the Countywide Policy Plan.

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INTRODUCTION

MAUI ISLAND HISTORY

The MIP looks to the past as a starting point to plan for the future. It is the foundation for preserving our heritage and overcoming challenges, and will ultimately result in a desired future.

Maui's Early Hawaiian Landscape

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Chinese laborers loading sugarcane. (n.d.).

Prior to Western contact, Hawaiians did not believe in the private ownership of land. A unique system, utilized throughout Hawaii, divided land into ahupuaa, land divisions running from the mountains to the sea that were administered by each district alii. Hawaiian society was separated into distinct classes, from chief to laborer, each with its own defined duties and responsibilities within the ahupuaa.

In 1786, Captain Jean-Francois de Galaup, Comte de La Perouse was the first outsider to set foot on Maui's shore and interact with the Hawaiians. In the following years, missionary work, the whaling industry, and flourishing trade of diverse goods brought American and European immigrants to the island.

With much of the island remaining arid and inhospitable to human habitation, the towns of Hāna, Makawao, Wailuku, and Lahaina housed the majority of the population. Diversified agriculture rapidly expanded during the 1840s and 1850s to support the transient and resident population.

Having no resistance to introduced Western diseases, Maui's population dropped dramatically following Western discovery and inhabitation. Regardless of the influx of new groups of people, the population steadily decreased. Table I-1 shows the decline in Maui's population from 1831 – 1878.

Table I - 1: Maui's Population 1831 – 1878
YearPopulation1
183135,062
185021,047
186016,400
187812,109

Footnotes

  1. Schmitt, Robert C. (1977). Historical Statistics of Hawaii (University Press of Hawaii, Honolulu). ↩

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INTRODUCTION

The Great Mahele

The concept of land ownership was introduced by Westerners. These newcomers recognized a great opportunity in the islands and were becoming increasingly frustrated with the Hawaiian land tenure system. In 1848, Kamehameha III, under pressure from foreigners, set into motion a series of events that altered the distribution of land in Hawai`i.

The Great Mahele, or land division, established a Land Commission and provided the means whereby land claims could be presented and adjudicated by the commission. As part of the Great Mahele, the Kuleana Act of 1850 allowed the Land Commission to award small parcels of land to commoners for subsistence. The King’s intent with the Great Mahele and the Kuleana Act was to protect lands from foreign acquisition and to provide Native Hawaiians with the security of land ownership. However, there existed a disconnect between the King’s intentions and the actual events that ensued as a result of the Great Mahele.

Living for hundreds of years with the self-sufficient ahupua`a land-tenure system and a communal subsistence economy, Hawaiians, particularly commoners, were unaccustomed to the concept of fee simple land ownership. This unfamiliarity, coupled with numerous legal and logistical constraints, led to foreign acquisition of large amounts of land intended for Native Hawaiians. Many Hawaiian families were required to leave the lands they had cultivated for generations and were forced to move to populated towns such as Wailuku and Lahaina.

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INTRODUCTION

Maui Goes for Sugar

Following the events of the Great Mahele, Hawaiian land became widely available for private ownership and capitalist development. Between 1836 and 1861 there was an initial flurry of sugarcane planting and refining throughout Hawai`i. However, lack of capital and an adequate market forced many planters out of business.

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Pioneer Mill in 2005 prior to demolition, Lahaina.

In 1850, an indentured labor system was established through the Masters and Servants Act, which supplied plantation workers from foreign markets.1 From 1860 to 1865, the Hawaiian sugar industry received an additional boost as a result of the American Civil War. During this time, the Louisiana sugar supply ceased, giving Hawai`i a larger share of the market.

In 1876, the Hawaiian Reciprocity Treaty allowed for duty free admission of Hawaiian sugar, resulting in a substantial increase of profits for island growers. With this economic boost, growers immediately began increasing the cultivation of sugarcane. On Maui, acres cultivated in sugarcane expanded from 5,080 in 1867 to 12,000 in 1880, which amounted to an increase of 136 percent.2

Construction of the Hāmākua irrigation ditch, which delivered water from East Maui’s expansive watershed to the arid plains of Central Maui, secured the future of sugarcane cultivation. The development of rail and ocean transportation also greatly influenced the growth of the sugar industry on Maui.

The cultivation of sugarcane has had a long-lasting impact on Maui’s landscapes and water supply, and has dramatically influenced the social and cultural development of Maui. With the massive growth of the industry, the need for labor also grew, resulting in the importation of workers from Asia, Europe, South and Central America, and the South Pacific Islands. This growth and importation created incredible ethnic and cultural diversity within the County. In the early 1900s, each of Maui’s sugar estates contained multiple plantation camps that housed the immigrant workers. These camps were comprised of housing, schools, stores, churches, recreational facilities, clinics, and neighborhood facilities and services such as police, fire, and community centers. These villages were self-sufficient, and allowed residents to meet normal health and safety needs and enjoy recreational activities within the confines of their community.

Footnotes

  1. Lal, Brij V., Murno, Doug, and Beechert, Edward D. (1993). Plantation Workers: Resistance and Accommodation (University of Hawai`i Press, Honolulu). ↩

  2. Lind, Andrew W. (1938). An Island Community: Ecological Succession in Hawai`i (Greenwood Press Publishers. New York). ↩

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INTRODUCTION

Maui’s Golden Pineapple

Pineapple has also played a large role in forming Maui’s modern landscape. The pineapple industry began on Maui in 1890 with Dwight D. Baldwin’s Haikū Fruit and Packing Company on the northeast side of the island. The Baldwin Packers also cultivated pineapple in the early 1900s in West Maui. The pineapple industry grew steadily, and by 1930, more than 28 percent of Maui’s cultivated lands were dedicated to pineapple.[^p9-5] In November 2009, Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. announced the company would cease pineapple production. Nonetheless, the cultivation of pineapple persisted in 2010 with the formation of Haliimaile Pineapple Company, an offshoot of Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc., which continues the pineapple legacy of Maui.

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Market Street c. 1920, Wailuku.

Cattle Ranching and the Paniolo

Hawai`i has a strong historical connection to cattle ranching. In 1830, King Kamehameha III summoned vaqueros from Vera Cruz, Mexico, to teach the Hawaiians how to handle horses and herd cattle. The Hawaiian cowboys, or paniolo, learned herding techniques, and by 1836 bullock hides became a valuable Hawaiian export. As the cattle-anching industry grew on Maui, multiple ranches dominated the less-fertile upper-elevation lands that were left uncultivated. Cattle ranching eventually grew into Maui’s third-largest industry, behind sugar and pineapple. Cattle ranching and the paniolo have had a long-lasting effect on the lifestyle and landscapes of numerous Maui communities.

1942 – 1950: World War II, the Automobile, and the Labor Movement

World War II signified a transition period for Maui. The war brought new immigrants and rapid investment in infrastructure to serve the military. Roads, harbors, and airports were built, dramatically altering the character of Maui and paving the way for future events.

The end of World War II brought about significant change for the sugar and pineapple industries. With rapid mechanization of these industries, rise of unionization, expanding employment opportunities, and growth of private land ownership, plantation camps became a thing of the past. With the camps becoming dilapidated and increasingly expensive to maintain, plantation owners began to look elsewhere for business opportunities.

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INTRODUCTION

1950 – 1970: New Town Planning and the Emergence of the Visitor Industry

Following World War II, the economy on Maui shifted from sugar and pineapple to a new and promising crop: visitors. With the emergence of new towns, resort-destination areas, and community planning, Maui began a new chapter in its history, which laid the groundwork for present-day economic conditions.

Development of the “Dream City”: Kahului in Central Maui

The demand for single-family homes was on the rise because of several factors, including the increasing prosperity of plantation workers, mechanization of the sugar industry, and the closure of plantation camps.

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Dream City Plan, 1947.

Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S) took hold of this market and hired Harland Bartholomew in 1947 to prepare a master plan for a community on the sugarcane fields surrounding Kahului Harbor that would become known as the “Dream City.” Beginning in 1950 and continuing to 1963, fee simple house and lot packages were sold at prices ranging from $6,600 to $9,200. Demand for supporting facilities became apparent, prompting HC&S to construct the Kahului Shopping Center in 1951. The contiguous towns of Kahului and Wailuku continued to grow and jointly developed into the civic and population center of the island. In 1962, Community Planning, Inc. prepared the region’s first general plan. The plan identified Kahului as the dominant trade and service center, with large modern subdivisions and segregation of land uses, resulting in a “pleasant and appealing community.”

Community planning in Central Maui continued in 1972 with the preparation of a second general plan conducted by Eckbo, Dean, Austin & Williams. The 1972 plan came to many of the same conclusions as its predecessor. The plan also warned of the potential negative effects of piecemeal planning, and recommended that the County draft an island-wide general plan. Finally, and most significantly, the plan identified an affordable housing “crisis” and recommended major expansion of residential use in the area

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INTRODUCTION

through the implementation of two Project Districts.1 This plan, its predecessor, and the Dream City development have all shaped the growth and evolution of the area and marked the modern era of population centralization in the Wailuku-Kahului region.

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Kahului, 1950

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Kahului, 1977.

Rise of Tourism and the Resort-Destination Area

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South Maui shoreline, c. 1970.

Maui lost 24 percent of its population from 1940 to 1960.2 Many residents, particularly younger generations, left Maui in search of employment on Oahu and the mainland. In 1959, the “Report of Land Use for the Island of Maui” identified two options as potential solutions to reversing the downward population trend. Maui could either expand and diversify its agricultural base, or capture a greater share of Hawaii’s tourism industry. Throughout the previous decades, Maui experienced marginal levels of tourism; however, the lack of visitor facilities prevented the growth of the industry. In 1956, Maui attracted only 5 percent of Hawai`i’s visitors and received only 1 percent of their expenditures.3

Inspired by Oahu’s success in the tourism industry, local business and political leaders began to plan Maui’s tourism future. In 1961, Kāanapali became the first master-planned resort area in Hawai`i. The resort-destination area trend continued to grow on Maui with the subsequent development of Wailea and Kapalua.

With the birth of a substantial visitor industry, Maui’s population and economy began to rebound. Resorts and other visitor services provided employment for Maui’s existing residents and attracted new residents. Tourism quickly became the island’s strongest industry, and has had a notable impact on Maui’s population, culture, economics, infrastructure, natural resources, and land use patterns.

Footnotes

  1. Eckbo, Dean, Austin & Williams (1972). The Wailuku-Kahului General Plan (prepared for Planning Commission, County of Maui). ↩

  2. Community Planning, Inc. and R.M. Towill Corporation (1959). Report of Land Use for the Island of Maui (prepared for Planning and Traffic Commission, County of Maui). ↩

  3. Id. ↩

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INTRODUCTION

Kīhei 701 Plan

With Maui’s population and economy growing as a product of the newly established visitor industry, business and political leaders began to look to the sparsely populated and primarily agricultural Kīhei region as the island’s next residential, resort, and employment center. In 1970, Maui County planning staff and consultant Noboru Kobayashi jointly prepared the Kīhei Civic Development Plan to provide a long-range plan to guide development of the region through 1990. The plan was partially funded by an urban planning grant from the Federal government under the provisions of Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954.

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Existing Land Use Map, Kīhei Civic Development Plan, 1970.

The so-called Kīhei 701 plan identified the region’s expansive white-sand beaches, spectacular views, mild climate, and vast open space as ideal characteristics for fostering a mixed community of residents and visitors along Maui’s south shore. With a population of approximately 1,600 in 1970, the region was characterized by diversified agriculture, mauka grazing lands, open space, homestead development, and dirt roads. At the time, only one hotel existed in the region, the Maui Lu, offering 100 visitor units. The plan identified this region as significantly underutilized and introduced a future vision for the area. The plan’s vision provided for extensive visitor accommodations and residential units that would transform the region into a massive economic engine.

With the designation of Wailea as a major resort community and other hotel and residential land use designations throughout the region, the Kīhei 701 plan set the stage for massive real estate speculation and development. The plan led to mass purchase and development of land, ushering in the real estate boom on Maui. The Kīhei region experienced rapid growth in the 35 years following the plan. By 2005, the population exceeded 25,000 and the average daily visitor population neared 20,000.1

Footnotes

  1. Department of Planning, County of Maui, Hawai`i (2006). 2030 Socio-Economic Forecast. ↩

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INTRODUCTION

1970 – 2000: The Real Estate Boom and Its Impact on the Maui Landscape

The strategic shift from an agricultural-based economy to a tourism-based economy signified the beginning of the next chapter of Maui’s diverse history. With the growing number of resorts and increased marketing, Maui’s visitor industry grew stronger, and the resident population began to rebound. The visitor industry filled the job gap that the mechanization of the sugar industry had created. The mass departure of residents greatly slowed, and immigration escalated, resulting in a growing demand for housing, particularly projects targeting the off-shore market.

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Kapalua Resort in West Maui, 2005.

The visitor industry experienced a significant surge beginning in the late 1970s as a result of off-shore investments. Mainland U.S. and Japanese resort companies viewed Maui’s burgeoning visitor industry as a surefire business investment, and began developing large, world-class resorts in Wailea and Kā‘anapali. Table I-2 shows the increase in Maui’s population from 1960 – 2010.

Table I - 2: Maui's Population 1960 – 2010

YearPopulation% Change
196035,717-
197038,6918
198062,82362
199091,36145
2000117,64423
2010144,44421

As Maui’s population grew, so did the urban footprint on the island’s landscape. Settlement patterns expanded rapidly, spreading out from existing population centers. Maui began to experience “planned urban sprawl” as agricultural and rural lands were released in a contiguous manner of urbanization. Central, South, and West Maui have grown significantly in the last three decades with the birth of new subdivisions and visitor accommodations. With the steadily increasing demand for housing, home prices have risen dramatically, out-pricing many local families and creating a pressing need for affordable housing.

Upcountry Maui has also been impacted by the increasing population. The region’s cool climate, rural setting, and spectacular views make for a desirable place to live. As a result, the area has experienced growth in the residential market since the 1970s. In particular, the traditionally agricultural Kula area has experienced growth in rural residential development, so-called “gentleman’s estates,” and real estate speculation. The gradual urbanization of Upcountry has led to multiple challenges, including incompatible land uses, water shortages during periods of prolonged drought, and a loss of the area’s traditional rural character.

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INTRODUCTION

MAUI TODAY

The island of Maui, also known as “The Valley Isle,” contains a unique social, economic, and geographic profile. The island’s extraordinary natural beauty has marked it globally as a top vacation destination, as well as a highly desirable place to live. In 2010, Maui’s resident population was 144,444. Approximately 2 million visitors vacation on Maui each year, equating to an estimated 46,000 visitors a day.

The island is situated within a volcanic archipelago made up of eight major islands and 124 minor uninhabited islands that stretch in a curved chain for approximately 3,800 miles from the central to the northern Pacific Ocean. The Hawaiian Archipelago stands as earth’s most isolated islands, being some 2,400 miles from the nearest continental land mass (North America) and the islands of Polynesia in the South Pacific.

Map I-1 provides an orientation to the island’s sense of place through a general display of Maui’s topography and towns, in addition to its natural, community, and recreational resources. Collectively, the island is paradise; regionally, it is distinct and unique.

West Maui is a string of coastal communities and mountainous areas. The stretch of coast between Lahaina and Nāpili is dominated by the resort industry due, in part, to its abundant ocean access points that provide numerous recreational opportunities. The northeast portion, stretching from Waihe‘e to Honolua Bay, offers a dramatically different setting with its vast open spaces and cliffs, vivid ocean views, and beautiful valleys and streams.

Encompassing the towns of Wailuku and Kahului, the area known as Central Maui has the majority of the island’s urban development. The County government civic center, the island’s primary airport and sole deep-water harbor, the University of Hawai‘i Maui College, the island’s primary business district, and vast acres of sugarcane fields all make up the Central Maui area.

Moving eastward, toward Haleakalā, are Upcountry Maui and East Maui. The Upcountry small towns of Makawao, Hāli‘imaile, Pukalani, and Kula are characterized by agriculture, ranching, and open space. Makawao, home of the paniolo, has a long tradition of cattle ranching and rodeo. East Maui represents a vast geographic area that is comprised of many small communities, lush natural areas, waterfalls, rugged coastline, small-scale diversified agriculture, and a wealth of Hawaiian history and culture. East Maui remains remote, and is generally accessed by the famous Hāna Highway.

The coastline that stretches from Mā‘alaea to Mākena is known as South Maui. Development along this area generally has occurred in a linear pattern between the shoreline and Pi‘ilani Highway, forming a continuous urban corridor that attracts a large tourism industry. Coastal amenities are abundant with numerous leeward sandy beaches for snorkeling and leisure.

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INTRODUCTION

2000 – 2030: Guiding Maui’s Future; Challenges and Opportunities

Maui is blessed by a vibrant host culture, an ethnically diverse population, unique native ecosystems and species, and spectacular scenic beauty. However, a rapidly growing resident and visitor population coupled with the development this growth brings, could jeopardize Maui’s unique identity. Strategic steps should be taken to plan for this growth. Residents’ quality of life and the vitality of the visitor industry depend on long-range planning that balances growth with community and environmental needs.

Moving forward, it is important to know how far we have come while understanding the direction we are headed. The Plan is a foundation for preserving our heritage and perpetuating our values. The Vision Statement and Core Values serve as the Maui Island Plan’s philosophical underpinning, capture the best qualities of Maui today, and provide a path to the future.

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INTRODUCTION

VISION STATEMENT AND CORE VALUES

Maui Island Vision

Ua mau ke ea o ka `āina i ka pono Maui Island will be environmentally, economically, and culturally sustainable with clean, safe, and livable communities and small towns that will protect and perpetuate a pono lifestyle for the future.

Core Values To achieve our island’s vision, we will be guided by the following values:

A. Adopt responsible stewardship principles by applying sound natural resource management practices;

B. Respect and protect our heritage, traditions, and multi-cultural resources;

C. Plan and build communities that include a diversity of housing;

D. Retain and enhance the unique identity and sense of place;

E. Preserve rural and agricultural lands and encourage sustainable agriculture;

F. Secure necessary infrastructure concurrently with future development;

G. Support efforts that contribute to a sustainable and diverse economy for Maui;

H. Create a political climate that seeks and responds to citizen input;

I. Respect and acknowledge the dignity of those who live on Maui;

J. Establish a sustainable transportation system that includes multiple modes, including walking, biking, and mass transit, as well as automobile-based modes; and

K. Recognize and be sensitive to land ownership issues and work towards resolution.

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"Registered Historic Parcels" and "Registered Historic Sites" only represent those listed on State or National Registers and included within Maui County's GIS system. Sites shown are not all-inclusive and do not represent all historic sites on Maui. As additional data becomes available it will be integrated into future mapping.

This map is for informational purposes only and subject to change based on future research and findings.

Character & Context Map

Island of Maui

Background Map

For Informational Purposes Only

Legend

  • Primary Road
  • Na Ala Hele or Other Trail
  • Stream
  • Wetland, Pond or Reservoir
  • Waterfall
  • Registered Historic Site
  • Registered Historic Parcel
  • Parks
  • Scenic Corridor
    • Exceptional
    • High
    • Medium
  • Boating Facility
    • Boat Launch Ramp
    • Small Boat Harbor
  • Aquatic Activity
    • Ocean Recreation
    • Board Surfing
    • Body Surfing
    • Canoe Paddling
    • Snorkling/Diving

⬚ figure

Product Code: M-CET_20120920-a1 Copyright © September 20, 2012 Includes material © 2005 DigitalGlobe, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This is not a zoning map. Please contact the Planning Department for Zoning confirmation.

Prepared by: Long Range Planning Division Department of Planning County of Maui 250 South High Street Wailuku, Hawaii 96793

Map I-1

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