County of Maui 2030 General Plan
Countywide Policy Plan
⬚ figure
A ohe hana nui ke alu `ia.
No task is too big when done together by all.
⬚ figure
County of Maui 2030 General Plan
⬚ figure
A ohe hana nui ke alu `ia.
No task is too big when done together by all.
⬚ figure
(blank page)
⬚ figure
⬚ figure
⬚ figure
⬚ figure
‘A‘ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia.
No task is too big when done together by all.
⬚ figure
The Countywide Policy Plan was adopted by Ordinance No. 3732 (2010) effective March 24, 2010, and amended September 21, 2021 (Ordinance 5264). The Countywide Policy Plan contained herein reflects the version adopted by Ordinance 3732 (2010) and amended by Ordinance 5264 (2021). Ordinance 3732 (2010) repealed Ordinance No. 2039, which took effect on September 27, 1991 and a subsequent amendment, Ordinance 2234, which took effect on April 23, 1993, both of which comprised the “1990 Update of the General Plan.”
(blank page)
Maui County will be an innovative model of sustainable island living and a place where every individual can grow to reach his or her potential.
The needs of each individual, the needs of the whole community, and the needs of our natural and cultural assets will be brought into balance to reflect the high value we place on both our natural environment and our people.
The education and health of our people will be fostered to ensure that the residents of these islands can, if they choose, spend their whole lives here – raising children, owning homes, enjoying rewarding jobs, and taking advantage of opportunities to contribute to this community and to be good stewards of our local treasures and resources.
Maui County will be a leader in the creation of responsible, self-sufficient communities and environmentally sound economic development and land stewardship.
That which makes Maui County unique in the world will be preserved, celebrated, and protected for generations to come.
To accomplish our vision, the people of our islands must foster and respect the Aloha Spirit. We must consider the future generations of Maui County and be true to these core principles:
⬚ figure
⬚ figure
⬚ figure
⬚ figure
Excellence in the stewardship of the natural environment and cultural resources;
Compassion for and understanding of others;
Respect for diversity;
Engagement and empowerment of Maui County residents;
Honor for all cultural traditions and histories;
Consideration of the contributions of past generations as well as the needs of future generations;
Commitment to self-sufficiency;
Wisdom and balance in decision making;
Thoughtful, island-appropriate innovation; and
Nurturance of the health and well-being of our families and our communities.
Cover photos from left to right:
Keanae, Maui, Hawaii. Keawanui fish pond, Molokai, Hawaii. Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii.
Koele, Lana`i, Maui.
Page iii photos from left to right:
Indigenous architecture, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii. Front Street, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii.
Makawao, Maui, Hawaii. Ulupalakua Ranch cowboys, Ulupalakua, Maui. Hawaii. (Photo courtesy of Paul Gallagher.)
iii
Charmaine Tavares, Mayor Sheri Morrison, Managing Director
| Council Chair - | Danny A. Mateo Moloka`i | Councilmember - | Bill Kauakea Medeiros East Maui (Hana-Keanae-Kailua) |
| Council Vice-Chair - | Michael J. Molina Makawao-Haiku-Paia | Councilmember - | Wayne K. Nishiki South Maui |
| Councilmember - | Gladys Coelho Baisa Upcountry (Pukalani-Kula-`Ulupalakua) | Councilmember - | Joseph Pontanilla Kahului |
| Councilmember - | Jo Anne Johnson West Maui | Councilmember - | Michael P. Victorino Wailuku-Waihe`e-Waikapu |
| Councilmember - | Sol P. Kahoohalahala Lanai |
| Mae Ulep – Chair | Lisa Marie Kaniho |
| Frederick Sandi – Vice-Chair | Ron K. McOmber |
| Kristi Alboro | Edith Mirafuentes |
| Pamela M. Alconcel | Linda Kay Okamoto |
| Angel Allas | Fairfax (Pat) Addison Reilly |
| Cindy Shin Aruzia | Ricky Sanches |
| Tom Cannon – Chair | Hans Michel |
| Dick Mayer – Vice-Chair | Susan A. Moikeha |
| Joe Bertram III | Wallette Garcia Pellegrino |
| Lesley A. Bruce | Vincent R. Hinano Rodrigues |
| John Arthur Blumer-Buell | Warren S. Shibuya |
| Thomas M. Cook | Jeanne Skog |
| Antoinette Lucienne deNaie | Warren A. Suzuki |
| Renee-May K. Filimoe`atu | Frank W. Sylva |
| Lawrence Stanley Franco | Stacie Thorlakson |
| Lisa Hamilton | Trevor Nobuo Tokishi |
| Kennard Kaipo Kekona | Mercer “Chubby” Vicens |
| Carl Lindquist | Warren Kaoru Watanabe |
| L. Douglas MacCluer |
MOLOKA‘I GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Daniel R. Bennett – Chair Kathryn Mahealani Davis – Vice-Chair Zessica L. M. Apiki Alton Seichi Arakaki Zhan Dudoit Jimmy Duvauchelle Barbara Jean Haliniak
Ronald S. Kimball Moses Luczon Ruth Ululani Manu Ed Medeiros Glenn I. Teves DeGray Vanderbilt
LANA‘I PLANNING COMMISSION Reynold (Butch) Gima - Chair Lawrence Endrina – Vice-Chair Alberta de Jetley James Elliott Dwight Gamulo Sally Kaye Matthew James Mano Stanley Ruidas Beverly Zigmond
MAUI PLANNING COMMISSION Johanna Amorin - Chair Wayne Hedani – Vice-Chair John Guard IV Kent M. Hiranaga William Iaconetti Joan Pawsat Jonathan Starr Bruce U‘u
MOLOKA‘I PLANNING COMMISSION DeGray Vanderbilt - Chair Steven Chaikin – Vice-Chair Lynn DeCoite Lance “Kip” Dunbar James “Bill” Feeter Joseph Kalipi Linda Kauhane Sherman Napoleon, Jr. Michelle Pescaia
MAUI COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING Jeffrey S. Hunt, Director Kathleen Ross Aoki, Deputy Director John F. Summers, Planning Program Administrator Joy Paredes, Division Secretary David Michaelson, Planner Supervisor Simone Bosco, Senior Planner Stanley Solamillo, Senior Planner Nancy McPherson, Senior Planner Kathleen Kern, Senior Planner David Yamashita, Senior Planner Julia Staley, Planner Daniel McNulty-Huffman, GIS Supervisor Mark King, GIS Analyst Michael Napier, GIS Analyst Peter Graves, GIS Analyst Jon Gushiken, GIS Technician Connie Tucker, GIS Technician Agnes Nolan, Office Operations Assistant
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Vision ................................................................................................................................................................. ii Core Values and Principles .............................................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................................. iv SECTION I: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 A. Purpose of the Countywide Policy Plan ................................................................................................ 1 B. The Planning Process ............................................................................................................................ 2
d. Air Travel........................................................................................................... 35 e. Water Travel ...................................................................................................... 35 3. Community Facilities.................................................................................................. 36 a. Schools.............................................................................................................. 36 b. Police and Fire ................................................................................................. 37 c. Parks and Recreation Facilities ....................................................................... 37 SECTION III: KEY STRATEGIES ................................................................................................... 41 SECTION IV: GOALS, OBJECTIVES, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS ............................................. 43 Vision..................................................................................................................... 44 Core Principles....................................................................................................... 45 A. Protect the Natural Environment .............................................................................. 46 B. Preserve Local Cultures and Traditions .................................................................... 49 C. Improve Education.................................................................................................... 52 D. Strengthen Social and Healthcare Services............................................................... 55 E. Expand Housing Opportunities for Residents........................................................... 57 F. Strengthen the Local Economy................................................................................. 60 G. Improve Parks and Public Facilities ......................................................................... 64 H. Diversify Transportation Options ............................................................................. 66 I. Improve Physical Infrastructure................................................................................. 70 J. Promote Sustainable Land Use and Growth Management ....................................... 74 K. Strive for Good Governance ..................................................................................... 78 L. Mitigate Climate Change and Work Toward Resilience........................................... 80 SECTION V: NEXT STEPS .............................................................................................................. 84
| Tables | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | State Land Use Category Acreage for Maui County ...................................................... | 20 |
| 2. | Resident and Visitor Population Estimates for 2005 and Forecasts for 2030 ............ | 23 |
| 3. | Maui County Adults Challenged With Substance Abuse............................................. | 25 |
| 4. | U.S. Census Income Estimates for 2005 ..................................................................... | 29 |
| 5. | Income and Sustainable Housing Costs for Low-Moderate Income in Maui County | 30 |
| 6. | State Parks by Community Plan Area and Size .......................................................... | 39 |
| 7. | Summary of Existing Park Area.................................................................................. | 40 |
| Figures | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | General Plan Documents ............................................................................................. | 2 |
| 2. | Traditional Ahupua`a ................................................................................................. | 6 |
| 3. | Important Agriculture Lands ...................................................................................... | 17 |
| 4. | De Facto and Resident Population Projections .......................................................... | 23 |
| 5. | Estimated Educational Attainment 2005 .................................................................... | 24 |
| 6. | Offshore Market Influence 2004-2005 ....................................................................... | 26 |
A ohe hana nui ke alu ia. No task is too big when done together by all.* Pukui, Mary Kawena (1983). *Ōlelo No`eau - Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings (Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu).
(blank page)
Introduction
Since the adoption of Maui County’s 1990 General Plan, which was approved by the Council in 1991, Maui County has experienced significant changes—economically, demographically, socially, and physically—that must be addressed in the scope of this Countywide Policy Plan. This document presents a comprehensive Policy Plan for the islands of Maui County to the year 2030 and provides the basis for updating the Maui Island Plan as well as nine detailed Community Plans that include Lanai, Molokai, and Kaho`olawe.
⬚ figure
Wailuku, Maui, Hawai`i.
The Countywide Policy Plan provides broad goals, objectives, policies, and implementing actions that portray the desired direction of the County’s future. This includes: (1) a vision statement and core values for the County to the year 2030; (2) an explanation of the plan-making process; (3) a description and background information regarding Maui County today; (4) identification of guiding principles; and (5) a list of countywide goals, objectives, policies, and implementing actions related to the following core themes:1
Furthermore, this Countywide Policy Plan will provide the policy framework for the development of the Maui Island Plan and the nine Community Plans.2
Chapter 2.80B, Maui County Code, requires at a minimum that the Countywide Policy Plan address “population, land use, the environment, the economy, and housing.” ↩
The nine Community Plan Areas are Hana, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Kihei-Makena, Makawao-Pukalani-Kula, Paia-Ha`iku, Wailuku-Kahului, and West Maui. ↩
The Community Plans are intended to reflect the unique characteristics of each Community Plan Area and enable residents and stakeholders to address challenges that are specific to their regions.
The General Plan is a term for a bundle of plan documents that guide future growth and policy direction in the County. The Countywide Policy Plan acts as an over-arching values statement and is an umbrella policy document for the Island and Community Plans. The Maui Island Plan functions as a regional plan and addresses the policies and issues that are not confined to just one Community Plan Area, including regional systems such as transportation, utilities, and growth management, for the Island of Maui.
Figure 1: General Plan Documents
⬚ figure
The Countywide Policy Plan acts as an over-arching values statement and is an umbrella document for the Island and Community Plans.
Figure 1 illustrates the relationship of the various planning documents that comprise the Maui County General Plan.
Chapter 2.80B of the Maui County Code was established in 2004; amendments to the chapter were enacted by ordinances in the following two years. Chapter 2.80B revised the process for updating the Maui County General Plan. Chapter 2.80B requires that the General Plan identify and describe the major problems and opportunities regarding the needs and the development of the County, as well as the social, economic, and environmental effects 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 modified the prior General Plan process by requiring that a Countywide Policy Plan be prepared first, followed by a Maui Island Plan and then the nine Community Plans.
There have been several formats for public-participation opportunities throughout the Policy Plan update process including Focus Maui Nui, General Plan Update outreach events, General Plan Advisory Committee meetings, and the Planning Commission and County Council review process.
Focus Maui Nui brought more than 1,700 participants together to define a vision for Maui County’s future.
In 2003, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) launched a broad-based public-participation process called Focus Maui Nui to plan for the future of Maui County. The effort brought together more than 1,700 participants into intensive, small-group participatory sessions to begin to define a vision for Maui County’s future. Residents articulated what they viewed as the key priorities to guide future actions and decision making. The purpose of Focus Maui Nui was to capture the local needs, priorities, and core values of residents across the County and to identify potential strategies for addressing these challenges and the parties responsible for carrying out the recommendations. Because the General Plan is a statement of residents’ current needs and desires, this Countywide Policy Plan largely incorporates the recommendations of Focus Maui Nui.
⬚ figure
Focus Maui Nui, 2003.
Focus Maui Nui facilitated 167 meetings throughout the County to gather citizen input.
Focus Maui Nui was designed to reach underrepresented groups not traditionally engaged in civic decision making by holding 167 facilitated meetings at locations where these groups normally gather. Groups infrequently heard from in public formats—such as the homeless, at-risk youth, seniors, Head Start parents, and ethnic and language minorities including Tongan Americans and Hispanic Americans—were engaged on a variety of local issues. Representing all Community Plan Areas and a broad range of demographic groups, these participants carefully articulated what they viewed as the key challenges the islands face.
The Focus Maui Nui project provided the basis that informed the Planning Department during development of the Countywide Policy Plan. In addition, Maui County contracted MEDB and Fern Tiger Associates of Oakland, California, to assist with additional
⬚ figure
WalkStory, 2006.
public-participation events for Maui residents. The WalkStory and PlanStory events focused on identifying critical Maui Island policy and land use issues and provided the Planning Department with a means to disseminate critical information about the General Plan process, interim products, and how the public could participate in the planning process.
Chapter 2.80B requires the creation of General Plan Advisory Committees (GPACs) for Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. The Maui GPAC was comprised of 25 members, while the Molokai and Lanai GPACs were comprised of 13 members each. GPAC members were either appointed by the Mayor or appointed by the County Council by resolution pursuant to Chapter 2.80B.
The role of the GPACs was to comment, advise, and provide recommendations to the Planning Director on the Countywide Policy Plan.
The role of the GPACs for each island was to comment, advise, and provide recommendations to the Planning Director on the draft Countywide Policy Plan that the Planning Director had presented. Each GPAC was provided 120 days to forward its recommendations to the Planning Director, with the Maui GPAC also being granted an extension of a few weeks. Numerous meetings were held during the GPACs' review, each with opportunities for public testimony. The Planning Director revised the draft Countywide Policy Plan based on public input and the recommendations from the three GPACs.
⬚ figure
Lana`i GPAC, 2007.
The draft Countywide Policy Plan, as revised by the Planning Director and the GPACs' recommendations, were submitted to the Planning Commissions for their review. Each Planning Commission was provided 120 days to make its recommendations, findings, and proposed revisions to the draft Plan. There were numerous meetings held during the Planning Commissions' review with opportunities for public testimony.
The Planning Director again revised the draft Countywide Policy Plan based on public input and the recommendations of the Planning Commissions. The revised draft Plan was then submitted to the County Council for its review, revision, and adoption. The recommendations from all three GPACs and from all three Planning Commissions were also submitted to the County Council. The County Council's Planning Committee also held numerous public meetings with many opportunities for public testimony.
Introduction
The islands of Maui County are blessed with dramatic physical beauty, a blend of cultures and traditional arts, and ideal climatic and environmental conditions. Loved by its residents, its caretakers, and millions of visitors, Maui County is known throughout the world as a place of natural- and cultural-resource distinction. The four primary islands of Maui County, at one point in history, were connected as a single land mass; however, because of erosion and the gradual rise of ocean levels, the land was divided. Maui, Lana'i, Moloka'i, and Kaho'olawe, and a collection of islets comprise Maui County.
⬚ figure
Ke'anae, Maui, Hawai'i.
Maui County’s past has influenced the challenges and opportunities that present and future generations face.
In a rapidly developing and increasingly homogenous global society, losing the places and characteristics that make Maui County unique and special would be unfortunate. As a preliminary step in planning for the future of Maui County, it is imperative to collectively reflect upon the past. Maui County’s past has significantly influenced the challenges and opportunities that present and future island generations face. This chapter is intended to summarize the history of Maui County in its distinct stages, initiated by key events or decisions that have converged to form present-day Maui County.
The decisions and events of the past provide valuable lessons that aid priority setting and decision making. Primary concerns include:
Understanding the mistakes of the past will equip the people of Maui County with essential tools for achieving a desired future for the islands.
Maui County’s original inhabitants traveled from the southern islands of Polynesia across treacherous seas to settle a new home. They developed a successful and sophisticated society that thrived for hundreds of years prior to Western contact. For example, the Hawaiians developed a unique system of land utilization that divided land into large sections called moku. Each moku was comprised of many ahupua'a. Ahupua'a were usually wedge-shaped sections of land that followed natural geographical boundaries, such as ridgelines and streambeds, and ran from the mountains to the sea. A valley bounded by ridges
on two or three sides and by the sea on the fourth would be a natural ahupuaa.[^p18-3] Ahupuaa varied in size depending on the economic means of the location and were meant to support roughly equal numbers of people.
Through this indigenous land-management system, the Hawaiians employed a complex system of sustainable agriculture and aquaculture practices including extensive auwai (irrigation systems) that were developed to water the kalo (taro) fields.
The ahupuaa system is based upon the ecological interdependence of mauka and makai lands.[^p18-4] Dividing the land from mountain peak to ocean shore ensured that the inhabitants of the land would be good stewards, given that the overuse of any resource within the ahupuaa would only stand to hurt its occupants.
Figure 2: Traditional Ahupua`a
⬚ figure
The ahupua`a system was an indigenous land-management practice.
Within streams and along the shoreline, Hawaiians built lokoi`a (fishponds). These were used for fattening and storing fish for food and as a safe place to protect fish that were spawning. The ponds along the ocean’s edge were designed with semi-circular walls of lava boulders and coral that would keep the fish inside while allowing the seawater to ebb in and out. This kept the ponds healthy.
These elaborate systems of agriculture and aquaculture were able to sustain upwards of an estimated 35,000 people on the Island of Maui alone.1 In 1853, there were at least 300 villages on the Island of Maui, located in 141 ahupua`a in 12 districts or moku.
Schmitt, Robert C. (1977). *Historical Statistics of Hawaii* (University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu). ↩
While Captain James Cook of England has often been cited as discovering the Hawaiian Islands for the Western world, it was actually French Captain Jean-Francois de Galaup de La Perouse, in 1786, who was the first outsider to set foot on Maui’s shore and interact with the Hawaiians. The explorations of these two explorers signified the beginning of Hawai‘i’s introduction to Europeans and vice versa. In the following years, Christian missionary work, the whaling industry, and the flourishing trade market brought American and European immigrants to the islands.
In 1795, the Islands of Maui, Kaho‘olawe, Lana‘i, Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i, and O‘ahu were united under a single monarch, King Kamehameha I (or Kamehameha the Great), with the assistance of a handful of Europeans. Kamehameha I came from Kohala on the Island of Hawai‘i and established his capital in Lahaina, Maui. His court became a welcome venue for Europeans.
According to some historical scholars, the overall Hawaiian population was reduced by an estimated 80 percent between 1778 and 1858, falling from about 300,000 to about 60,000.
A majority of Native Hawaiians converted to Christianity in the 19th century, a period in which some laws and societal mores were changed to favor perceived Christian values and disavow some Hawaiian cultural practices, including hula, according to historians. King Kamehameha II banned the kapu system and traditional religious and healing practices.
Western influence impacted all forms of natural resources. Over time, the upland sandalwood forests were lumbered and clearcut, impacting both the forest ecology and the climate of the islands. Foreign crops and livestock were introduced to the islands, and free-ranging cattle, sheep, and goats devoured the islands’ native vegetation until eventually the herds had to be culled and managed. Early ranchers, vaqueros from Vera Cruz, Mexico, taught Hawaiians how to handle horses and herd cattle. Cattle became the third-largest industry for the islands, and the ranchers began to seasonally rotate the livestock between pastures at lower and higher elevations to manage the resources more efficiently. Cattle ranching and the paniolo have had a long-lasting effect on the lifestyle and landscapes of Maui County communities with several ranches persisting today on Maui and Moloka‘i.
Religious conversion and laws prohibiting traditional practices occurred in the 1800s.
⬚ figure
Upcountry pasture, Maui, Hawai‘i. (Photo courtesy of Dick Mayer.)
Land ownership as a concept was first introduced to Hawaii by Westerners. In 1848, King Kamehameha III set into motion the Great Mahele. This event marked the establishment of Western land-management systems in Hawaii, significantly including the practice of land division by survey and the privatization of land ownership. The Hawai`i Legislature established a land commission and provided a means whereby land claims could be presented and adjudicated. 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 vast disconnect between the King’s intentions and the actual events that ensued as a result of the Great Mahele.
⬚ figure
Indigenous architecture.
Living for hundreds of years with the self-sufficient ahupua`a land-tenure system and a communal subsistence economy, Hawaiians, particularly commoners, were drastically unaccustomed to the concept of fee simple land ownership. This unfamiliarity coupled with numerous legal and logistical constraints led to foreign acquisition of lands intended for Native Hawaiians. Many Hawaiian families were required to leave lands they had cultivated for generations and were forced to move to populated towns such as Wailuku and Lahaina. Separated from the land and traditional subsistence lifestyle, displaced Hawaiians for the first time had to find employment in order to purchase food, goods, and services.
The sugarcane industry had an enormous impact on the islands’ landscape.
Following the events of the Great Mahele, Hawaiian land became widely available for private ownership and capitalist development. Sugar had already been proven to be a hearty crop on the islands, and in 1828 the first sugar mill was built by Hung Tai in Wailuku. In 1876, the Hawaiian Reciprocity Treaty allowed for duty-free admission of Hawaiian sugar to the United States. On Maui, the number of acres cultivated in sugar cane expanded from 5,080 in 1867 to 12,000 in 1880, an increase of 136 percent.1 Maui County’s sugarcane industry experienced many stages, beginning with numerous small operations and evolving into a few large plantations. The sugarcane industry had an enormous impact on the islands’ resources, including water use, worker population, and land utilization.
Construction of the Hamakua irrigation ditch on the Island of Maui delivered water from East Maui’s expansive watershed to the arid plains of Central Maui.
Lind, Andrew W. (1938). An Island Community: Ecological Succession in Hawai`i (Greenwood Press Publishers, New York). ↩
Throughout the 20th century, much of the County’s land remained dedicated to sugar production, which has preserved vast expanses of land.
The Maui Island ditch system included: Hamakua Ditch (1878), Haiku Ditch (1879), and Waihee Ditch (1882). Generally, essential resources, such as water, are held in trust by public entities. Having a privately owned delivery system for water continues to raise questions about water rights throughout Maui County. In the past, some of the aquifers, from which potable water is drawn, have been damaged from overuse or contamination. The utilization of water as a resource has been and will continue to be a critical factor for development in Maui County.
With massive growth of the plantation 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, which created incredible ethnic and cultural diversity within the County. In the early 1900s, Maui County’s sugar and pineapple estates contained multiple plantation camps that housed 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.
Much of Maui County’s agricultural land continued to remain dedicated to sugar production through the 1990s, which ostensibly created a system of land banking. Monocrop agriculture has maintained much of Maui County’s land as undeveloped open space, which creates beautiful, unencumbered vistas throughout Maui’s Central Valley, Upcountry Maui, West Maui, West Molokai, and Lanai. Maintaining so much of the islands’ lands in agriculture has also reduced the available supply of land for development.
Lana`i became known as the “Pineapple Island” as the landscape was used almost solely for pineapple production.
⬚ figure
Haiku, Maui, Hawaii.
Pineapple became Maui County’s second-largest agricultural industry and also played a role in forming the modern-day landscape. Pineapple production was primarily focused in the areas of Haliimaile, Haiku, and Kapalua on Maui and dominated the landscape on the Islands of Lanai and Molokai. The majority of Lanai is privately owned, and a large part of it was cultivated in pineapple for more than six decades. That monoculture caused the island to be known through the latter part of the 20th century as the “Pineapple Island”. The only significant settlement is Lanai City, a 1.2-square-mile plantation town that was built in 1923 by Hawaiian Pineapple Company to house laborers for its pineapple operations.
4. EARLY COUNTY INFRASTRUCTURE
During the late 1880s, rail systems were developed to link fields, processing facilities, and harbors, thus allowing for the efficient movement of sugar cane and
The Island of Maui had an extensive rail system for transportation of agricultural products and passengers.
⬚ figure
Irrigation ditch, East Maui, Hawai`i.
refined sugar. Eventually, these trains carried both products and passengers, and their presence was an enormous instigator for the development of Kahului Harbor. By 1879, a small landing had been erected for passengers and goods at Kahului, on the site of what later became Maui County's main port of entry. During the late 1870s, Maui County's water infrastructure was first planned and developed. In 1876, the Hamakua Ditch Company was formed to bring water via a ditch from East Maui to sugarcane fields in Paia. Claus Spreckels, a San Francisco sugar baron, surveyed undeveloped lands, planned a 30-mile ditch, and requested rights from King Kalakaua to build the drainage structure. In 1877, Spreckels began construction of Maui Island's second-largest watercourse, from Punaluu to Spreckelsville, which later became known as Spreckels Ditch or Ha`iku Ditch. The second phase of Maui Island's water infrastructure was constructed after 1900 and supplied additional water to Central Maui and new water sources for West Maui. Private irrigation systems still exist on all of the islands.
Air travel made its debut on Maui after an emergency-landing strip was built at Maalaea in 1919. After the strip had been upgraded to an airfield, commercial service from Honolulu began in 1929, provided by Inter-island Airways, Ltd. Two more airfields were finally built and became operational on Maui Island during the following decade—at Hamoa (East Maui) in 1935 and at Puunene (Central Maui) in 1938.
Interisland freight and passenger service remained largely provided by ship until 1952. Interisland shipping was owned and operated by a variety of companies including Inter-Oceanic Steamship Company (founded in 1881), Island Steamship Navigation Co. (1883), Wilder's Steamship Line (1883), and Matson Navigation Company (1901).
Tourism stimulated new economies and increased the population in Maui County.
Following World War II, the economy in Maui County 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 County began a new chapter in its history, which laid the groundwork for present-day economic conditions.
In 1947 Harland Bartholomew prepared a master plan called “Dream City” for lands near Kahului Harbor. Beginning in 1950 and continuing to 1963, fee simple house and lot packages were sold at prices ranging from $6,600 to $9,200. Many of these lots were sold to people who came to Maui to work on the plantations and in search of a better life. The contiguous towns of Kahului and Wailuku continued to grow and jointly developed into the civic and population center of the County.
⬚ figure
⬚ figure
As the visitor industry gained momentum, Lahaina and Kaanapali in West Maui became the premier destinations within the Hawaiian Islands. With numerous amenities to serve visitors, including hotels, restaurants, a shopping center, and a golf course, Kaanapali set a precedent for tourism development statewide. The resort-destination trend continued to grow on Maui Island in the 1970s and 1980s with the subsequent development of Kihei and Wailea in South Maui and Kapalua in West Maui.
Similar trends were realized on Molokai in the 1980s and on Lanai in the 1990s. On Molokai, 4,100 acres were purchased for a resort called Kaluakoi, which included a 198-room hotel and an 18-hole golf course. Luxury hotels were built on Lanai at Koele (1990) and Manele Bay (1991).
⬚ figure
Pioneer Inn, Lahaina, Maui, Hawai`i.
With the birth of this new industry, the population and economy of the County began to grow rapidly. Resorts and other visitor services provided employment for the County’s population and attracted new residents.
The history of the islands has played an enormous role in making them an attractive visitor destination. While the natural beauty of the islands alone is appealing, the multi-ethnic culture that has evolved makes this County unique for residents and visitors alike. The quaint country towns, fusion cuisine, and cultural ceremonies play a significant role in the success of this industry today.
There remains a great deal to protect and preserve within the County of Maui and much to learn from the experiences of the past. The islands that comprise Maui County will be passed from one generation to the next, and it is our responsibility to share the best of the County with each other today, yet preserve this special place for future generations, and ultimately to perpetuate the Hawaiian value of malama `aina.1
The Hawaiian concept of malama `aina means caring for and living in harmony with the land. ↩
(blank page)
(blank page)
Traditionally the work to prepare a General Plan begins with the gathering and analysis of large amounts of data and information drawn from both original research and secondary sources. This research is important because it provides an objective measure of trends and enables policy makers, planners, and citizens to compare and contrast local conditions with those in other places and to project trends into the future.
Among the studies completed and reviewed as part of the General Plan update are the following:
These and other relevant technical studies are available on the Planning Department’s website, in addition to being in the department’s files. This section provides a snapshot of current conditions within the County, generally defines existing conditions and trends, and, most important, draws some broad conclusions about the implications these conditions and trends will have on the future of the County. These issues will be investigated with greater specificity in the subsequent Island and Community Plans. However, the information in this section establishes a common ground or beginning point for setting goals, objectives, policies, and implementing actions on a countywide basis.
Maui County is famous for its exceptional natural and cultural resources. From the upland forests to the thriving coral reefs, the islands of Maui County include many displays of the rare and amazing natural world. Deeply intertwined with the natural environment are traditional Hawaiian practices, revered places, and evidence of each island’s unique history. All of these elements combine to make Maui County the place it is today. This chapter is intended to highlight and document the components of the natural and cultural environment that make Maui County special.
⬚ figure
Hana Highway, Maui, Hawai`i.
Maui County Today
Among the 50 states, Hawai`i is the only state that lies within the tropics and is surrounded by an ocean. These features significantly affect the climate, as does the topographic diversity of the islands. The majority of the islands’ land mass lies within 5 miles of the coast, and yet a significant proportion of the islands are 2,000 feet above sea level or higher.1
⬚ figure
Haleakala, Maui, Hawai`i. (Photo courtesy of Dick Mayer.) Maui County has an incredible diversity of climatic conditions.
Rainfall tends to be greatest on the windward sides of the islands, which exhibit more consistently mild temperatures. The leeward sides of the islands tend to be dryer and experience higher temperatures during the day. The reduction or increase of vegetation at higher elevations can significantly impact the amount of precipitation throughout the islands. For example, when fog is able to condense on trees and other vegetation, it can increase total annual precipitation by as much as 30 percent.2
The higher the elevation, the cooler the temperatures, with the peak of Maui’s Haleakala, at 10,023 feet above sea level, frequently dipping below freezing. The persistent tradewinds flow from east to west, providing a natural system of ventilation and circulation a majority of the time and keeping the climate pleasant in otherwise uncomfortably high temperatures. Sometimes, the islands experience Kona winds, and the ventilation pattern reverses direction. Often this reverses the conditions in windward and leeward locations. It also impacts ocean conditions and ocean-based recreation. All of these conditions combine to create climatic conditions of great diversity.
Carbon dioxide emissions impact the planet’s climate.
For generations, society has taken for granted that climate was unchanging, and was something mankind could not control. Now it is known that human behavior has a dramatic impact upon both the micro-climate and global climate. In particular, the present level of greenhouse-gas emissions increases the intensity of storms, alters precipitation patterns, raises global temperatures, increases the acidity of ocean waters (killing coral reefs), and raises the sea level. It has been estimated that if greenhouse-gas emissions are not reduced soon, the climate in Hawai`i and throughout the world will be very different for the next generation, bringing an increased likelihood of natural disasters and climatic events.3
Maui County has been impacted by a multitude of natural hazards. Short-term disasters include earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, flashfloods, rockslides, and wildfires. Long-term problems such as erosion and drought1 have affected all of the islands over time. Sometimes these forces of nature have impacted the islands in small ways with little lasting effect. Other events have devastated the islands, leaving loss of life and property and economic decline in their wake. Generally, these hazards are outside of human control, but through appropriate planning, their impacts can be minimized.
Natural hazards are outside of human control, but their impacts may be planned for and minimized.
The University of Hawaii Coastal Geology Group has predicted that the sea level will rise throughout the coming generations. Conservative estimates suggest the sea level may rise up to 1 meter by 2100. Projected sea-level rise over the next 20 years would increase at an exponential rate and would impact all coastlines, most severely affecting Maalaea, North Kihei, Lahaina, Ka`anapali, Kahului, and Kaunakakai. Prudent planning will consider projected sea-level rise as a variable in planning for each island.
Maui County contains unique climatic and geological conditions, with ecological communities within the islands that are unique to Hawai`i and species that do not exist anywhere else in the world. Some critical habitat areas have been identified in an attempt to protect threatened and endangered species.
Hawai`i's ecological communities are unique.
The State Department of Land and Natural Resources published a report entitled “Hawai`i’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy” in 2005. That report identifies the following threats:
The greatest threat to native and endemic species of Hawaii is invasive species. Because of their evolutionary history, Hawaii’s native plants and animals are particularly susceptible to the threats posed by the introduction and spread of invasive species and pathogens. The introduction of invasive species causes environmental and economic harm. Non-native species may out-compete native species or may directly harm native species through predation or infection. Non-native species may also threaten native species through interbreeding and hybridization, leading to the loss of the native species as a unique species.
Department of Defense, Civil Defense Agency, State of Hawai`i (2000). Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning. ↩
Maui County Today
It is important to protect the few remaining pristine areas and provide recovery areas to restore ecosystems to full functioning. In order to be effective, these areas should be undisturbed by human development and encroachment and be sufficiently connected to other protected areas.
A watershed may be defined as a collection of land surfaces draining to the same body of water, which is usually a stream in Maui County. Smaller watersheds combine to form larger watersheds. Virtually all watersheds have been modified or degraded by development, often resulting in the deterioration of water quality, damage to plant and animal communities, erosion, and other environmental wounds. This reduction in the quality of ecosystem components may have significant economic and social implications as well.
⬚ figure
Wailua Falls, Kipahulu, Maui, Hawai`i.
Many of the streams and watercourses on the islands of Maui County have been diverted, and some no longer have any water flow that reaches the ocean. Almost all of the upper reaches of the County’s watersheds are in conservation areas protected from development. However, land and water closer to the shoreline are increasingly impacted by human development.
Sediment-laden runoff is a problem in areas where urbanization or ranching has denuded the landscape.
In urbanized areas where the natural landscape is paved or covered with impervious surfaces, rainwater is not able to percolate into the ground and be absorbed by plants or collect into a stream. Increased impervious surfaces (such as roofs and roads) prevent infiltration of precipitation into the soil. This increases the volume and erosive force of runoff.1 Furthermore, impervious surfaces do not filter the water like a natural watershed might, which means that any trash, oil, fertilizer, and other debris in the path of a watershed may also get released into streams, waterways, and the ocean. More and more, the islands of Maui County are experiencing sediment-laden stormwater runoff into the ocean, which is coating the delicate coral reefs. This is of particular concern on Moloka`i, where ranching has significantly reduced the vegetation that would normally assist in transpiration and infiltration of rainwater.
The ahupua`a system of watershed management takes into account all resources from the forest lands to the coral reefs. Lands, forestry, and water for agriculture, housing, stream habitat, and reef systems were allocated by the ruling chief to subordinate members. Throughout the world, watershed restoration is becoming a more common practice as communities realize the benefits of natural watersheds.
Boutillier, S., Duane, T. (2006). Land Use Planning to Promote Marine Conservation (University of California, Berkeley). ↩
At the local and state levels, many communities are now requiring that development and infrastructure plans include vegetation in proportion to impervious surfaces, along with storm chamber systems that slowly release stormwater into the soil, mimicking a natural watershed.
Maui County is blessed with vast acreage of high-quality agricultural lands. Like other unique natural resources, rich and productive agricultural land is difficult to reclaim once it is impacted by development. The value of agricultural land is evaluated through a description of the area’s soil attributes. The State Department of Agriculture has developed a classification system that analyzes soil productivity, water retention, erosion, chemical makeup, and factors favorable for root growth. Under the Agricultural Lands of Importance to the State of Hawai`i (ALISH) system, there are three classifications:
Maui’s agricultural lands have been valuable resources.
⬚ figure
Kula, Maui, Hawai`i. (Photo courtesy of Dick Mayer.)
Together, these types of agricultural lands form the important agricultural lands of the County. From the early Hawaiian societies to the modern plantation industries, the important agricultural lands of the County have been utilized and understood as being among Maui County’s most valuable resources. Protecting important agricultural lands is a major goal of this Plan.
There are 79,392 acres of Prime agricultural land, 17,186 acres of Unique agricultural land, and 113,232 acres of Other important agricultural lands in Maui County as determined by ALISH (see Figure 3).
Agricultural lands have the potential to move the islands of Maui County toward self-sufficiency. Food and energy production required for Maui County could take place entirely within the County, bolstering our economic security. Even today, the means exist to utilize bio-fuel to supplement energy generation through renewable technologies. Moreover, the vast open spaces and beautiful countryside that are the result of agricultural land use improve the quality of life for residents and visitors.
Maui County Today
Figure 3: Important Agriculture Lands
⬚ figure
Much of this land remains available for agricultural production. Diversifying the agricultural industry to improve food security and meet a higher percentage of Maui County’s resident-food needs is a priority for the upcoming planning period.
6. SCENIC RESOURCES
The scenic vistas of Maui County are valuable resources that enrich our lives.
The islands of Maui County are world famous for their beautiful scenic resources. These resources are diverse and include developed and undeveloped sections of shoreline, tropical rainforests, rugged valleys, mountains with jagged peaks, vast open spaces, historic towns and settlements surrounded by productive agricultural land, and panoramic Pacific Ocean views. The beauty of these scenic resources enriches the quality of life for residents and serves as a primary visitor attraction.
Throughout the County, large-lot residential development and insensitively designed development in all land use sectors have dramatically impacted the County’s scenic resources. Scenic resources, like other valuable natural resources, define the islands and require management to protect them from being unnecessarily degraded or depleted. Lands rich in scenic-resource value are often the same lands that are in high demand for recreational, resort, and residential uses. Protection of valued scenic and natural resources is a priority during this planning period.
Maui County Today
Historic and cultural resources provide a connection to the past and establish a unique character for our communities.
Maui County’s historic sites, buildings, and structures help to define the character and historic significance of place. By taking measures to preserve these resources, Maui County can protect some of the elements that make it special. There are reminders of Maui County’s past on each island.
⬚ figure
Keanae Congregational Church, built in 1860, Maui, Hawai`i.
Ancient petroglyphs, heiau, and fishponds, and, more recently, civic buildings, churches, and country stores are designated as important landmarks and social assets. While they may not all be used in the manner they were originally intended, their presence within the islands’ landscape is invaluable in teaching us about our past.
Deeply intertwined with the geographical environment of the islands are traditional Hawaiian practices. Prior to the arrival of Westerners and the idea of private land ownership, Hawaiians accessed and gathered the resources from the land and seas to fulfill their community responsibilities. Following the Great Mahele, many Hawaiians were denied access to previously available traditional resources.
Natural, cultural, and historic resources should be viewed as valuable assets to protect for present and future generations.
The traditional practices of Native Hawaiians were primarily for subsistence, medicinal, religious, and cultural purposes. Examples of traditional subsistence practices include fishing, picking `opihi, collecting limu (seaweed), and collecting healing herbs. Plants and flowers were also picked for use in traditional Hawaiian ceremonies. The Environmental Council has observed: “Native Hawaiians performed these traditional customary practices out of a sense of responsibility: to feed their families, cure the sick, nurture the land, and honor their ancestors. As stewards of this sacred land, we too have a responsibility to preserve, protect, and restore these cultural resources for future generations.1”
⬚ figure
Piilani Heiau, Hana, Maui, Hawaii.
Environmental Council, State of Hawai`i (1997). Guidelines for Assessing Cultural Impacts. ↩
Today, the in-migration of cultures from around the world has woven a rich tapestry of cultural heritage within Maui County. Each of these groups has brought their own customs, food, language, legends, and celebrations to share. Immigrant cultural influences and the underlying Polynesian values have transformed the culture into something as unique and special as the islands' rare ecology.
Hawaiian society was based on the view that there is a balance between land and ocean, with each part of the island, from the peak of the mountain to the deep blue of the ocean, being interdependent. This principle was exemplified in the Hawaiians' ahupua‘a system, which established a legacy of mountain-to-sea interconnectedness. This cultural practice can be perpetuated through the modern principle of sustainability and ecosystem-based stewardship. As the planning process for the islands of Maui County progresses, natural and cultural resources should remain foremost in the minds of planners and the public as opportunities for protection and constraints on future development.
In an island county, with limited land area, careful land use decision making is of utmost importance.
Unlike most communities in the United States, the boundaries of Maui, Lana‘i, and Moloka‘i are finite and cannot be enlarged through annexation. In fact, because of sea level rise, it is probable that some of the County’s land will not be accessible in the coming years. The coastlines, even as they change, will remain boundaries, and all land uses today and for future generations must be accommodated within these natural parameters. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to carefully consider choices regarding land use and the location of future development and how the County uses its limited resources.
Between Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, and Kaho‘olawe there are approximately 750,900 acres of land to consider in land use decision making. A fair amount of the land on all of the islands is permanently designated as land within the State Conservation District; however, a large percentage of the land within other designations could be developed (see Table 1). This makes it extremely important to evaluate what type of development is appropriate and where it should be located through the General Plan process. The State of Hawai‘i is unique in that both the State and the County regulate land uses for all properties.
⬚ figure
View from Waikapu, Maui, Hawai‘i. (Photo courtesy of Dick Mayer.)
Maui County Today
The State of Hawai`i has classified all land into one of four land use districts:
Table 1 illustrates the acreage of land in each land use category on the four islands, along with the statewide acreages for comparison. While not all areas designated in each of the categories have been developed as identified, the table provides a general idea of the distribution of land uses on each of the islands and illustrates how land use on the islands of Maui County compares to land use statewide.
Maui County has less land designated for conservation and more land designated for agriculture than the remainder of the State. More than two-thirds of the Island of Molokai is zoned for agriculture. Maui Island has the largest percentage of its land designated for urban use within the County. The County of Maui has more land designated as rural than the other counties in Hawaii.
Table 1: State Land Use Category Acreage for Maui County
| State Land Use Category | Conservation | Agriculture | Rural | Urban | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island | Total Acres | Acres | % of Total Land Area | Acres | % of Total Land Area | Acres | % of Total Land Area | Acres | % of Total Land Area |
| Maui | 465,800 | 194,836 | 41.8% | 245,777 | 52.8% | 3,778 | 0.8% | 21,409 | 4.6% |
| Kaho`olawe | 28,800 | 28,800 | 100.0% | - | 0.0% | - | 0.0% | - | 0.0% |
| Lana`i | 90,500 | 38,197 | 42.2% | 46,639 | 51.5% | 2,407 | 2.7% | 3,257 | 3.6% |
| Moloka`i | 165,800 | 49,768 | 30.0% | 111,627 | 67.3% | 1,866 | 1.1% | 2,539 | 1.5% |
| County Total | 750,900 | 311,601 | 41.5% | 404,043 | 53.8% | 8,051 | 1.1% | 27,205 | 3.6% |
| Statewide | 4,112,388 | 1,973,973 | 48.0% | 1,932,862 | 47.0% | 10,058 | 0.2% | 195,495 | 4.8% |
State of Hawai`i Data Book 2002
2. SPRAWL
Urban sprawl is a phrase coined to describe the post-World War II phenomenon of consuming land, resources, and infrastructure at a faster rate than neighborhoods have been traditionally built. Sprawl segregates people by income level and relies upon automobile-scaled development and cheap fossil fuel. Sprawl occurs when rural and agricultural lands are developed into large-lot subdivisions or when new population or economic centers are built away from the existing infrastructure grid that still has available capacity.
Maui County Today
Per capita, sprawl requires more taxpayer support and consumes more land, infrastructure, and natural resources than traditional development patterns.
Enabling urban sprawl can be wasteful and costly. It degrades once-quaint rural communities and devours scenic open spaces. It is responsible for the excessive loss of agricultural lands and natural wildlands. Large-lot, single-family subdivisions consume more land per capita, require more taxpayer support per capita, and function less efficiently than traditionally scaled neighborhoods. If all of the landscape was developed with a single residence for every 2.5 acres there would be no countryside to enjoy.
3. SMART GROWTH
Currently, best practices emerging in the national planning community deem “Smart Growth” as a good way to mitigate sprawl.
⬚ figure
Lanai City, Lanai, Hawai`i.
Smart Growth is development that serves the economy, the community, and the environment. Smart growth is about being good stewards of our communities and of our rural lands, parks, and forests. It is about ensuring that the best of the past is preserved, while creating new communities that are attractive, vital, and enduring.1
In short, Smart Growth is based on development designed at a scale to be comfortable to a pedestrian, not an automobile. It is also based on appropriately varying development type and massing from the urban core to the rural edge. There are ten key principles of Smart Growth:
Statement of Michael Leavitt, EPA Administrator (2005). ↩
Maui County Today
Summary
As Maui County adopts subsequent amendments to the General Plan, it will be important to incorporate these key principles and research other land use tools that enhance quality of life.
To understand the goals and aspirations of Maui County’s residents, it is important to understand who the people of Maui County are and what social issues impact their lives. This chapter focuses on the population, social patterns, and housing trends of Maui County.
Population change is among the most important means to measure growth.
Population change is among the most important means to measure growth and its likely impact on land uses in a community. Therefore, it is important to achieve an understanding of the County’s population trends to prepare a meaningful and realistic plan for the future.
The original inhabitants of the islands, the Native Hawaiians, existed in large numbers throughout Maui County. It is estimated that there were 300 villages on Maui, 179 villages on Molokai, and 62 villages on Lanai in 1853.1 The population of the Native Hawaiian dwindled over time, largely because of epidemics. Moreover, the immigration of Westerners and plantation workers from around the globe changed the demographic profile of Maui County dramatically. Today, Maui County is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse places in the United States.
A Socio-Economic Forecast generated by the County as part of the General Plan update estimates the 2005 resident and visitor population and projects the 2030 population of each island in the County in Table 2 below.
Coulter, John W. (1931). Population and Utilization of Land and Sea in Hawai`i, 1853 (Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu). ↩
Maui County Today
Table 2: Resident and Visitor Population Estimates for 2005 and Forecasts for 2030
| 2005 Estimated Resident Population | 2005 Estimated Visitor Population | 2005 Estimated Resident & Visitor Population | 2030 Forecasted Resident Population | 2030 Forecasted Visitor Population | 2030 Forecasted Resident & Visitor Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maui | 129,471 | 45,676 | 175,147 | 176,686 | 64,690 | 241,377 |
| Moloka`i | 7,127 | 909 | 8,036 | 7,963 | 1,279 | 9,243 |
| Lana`i | 3,452 | 1,224 | 4,676 | 4,649 | 1,733 | 6,382 |
| County Total | 140,050 | 47,809 | 187,859 | 189,298 | 67,702 | 257,002 |
The County’s resident population is expected to grow at nearly an identical rate as de facto population, with the resident population of the County of Maui reaching 189,298 by 2030 from 128,241 in 2000.
In evaluating Census data for the County from 1990, 2000, and 2005 estimates, some important conclusions can be drawn about demographic patterns of the islands:
⬚ figure
Figure 4
Department of Health, State of Hawaii (2006). Profile of Hawaii’s Older Adults and Their Caregivers. ↩
Maui County Today
In today's world, knowledge and intellectual capital are widely recognized as indicators of production potential, and therefore, can be tied to quality of life.
⬚ figure
Figure 5
Education allows people to “lead lives of dignity and purpose; construct knowledge and put it toward humane ends; and participate as informed citizens in a democratic society.”
Obtaining an education also plays a significant role in “enabling individuals to lead lives of dignity and purpose; construct knowledge and put it toward humane ends; and participate as informed citizens in a democratic society.”1 During the Focus Maui Nui workshops, participants understood this philosophy and ranked education as a top priority.
The United States Census Bureau in 2005 estimated that of 92,823 people in the County who are 25 years and older, 86.6 percent have graduated high school and 23.8 percent have a bachelor's degree or higher. While the high school graduation rate of Maui County is slightly higher than that of the remainder of the United States, the percentage of residents with higher-level degrees is lower. It is evident from the graph above that the islands with public four-year universities have a slightly higher level of educational attainment.
Providing the people of Maui County with opportunities for healthy lifestyles will require collaboration.
Health has been defined by the World Health Organization as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.” Native Hawaiians took a similar approach to wellness, concluding that only when a person was healthy in all three of these areas, and spiritually, were they “right” or pono. Today some of the key health concerns of residents of Maui County include:
Calvert-Henderson. (2000). Quality of Life Indicators. ↩
Maui County Today
During the Focus Maui Nui workshops, a key concern for many participants was substance abuse and its effect on the community. According to the State Department of Health, there is some reason for concern. In a statewide study on substance abuse, the estimated rate of adult dependence and abuse of drugs and/or alcohol is highest within Maui County.3
Table 3: Maui County Adults Challenged With Substance Abuse
| Population (18 Years and Over) | Maui County (82,754) | |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Need | No. | % |
| Needing Treatment for Alcohol Only | 5,818 | 7.03% |
| Needing Treatment for Drugs Only | 1,498 | 1.81% |
| Needing Treatment for Both Alcohol and Drugs | 1,804 | 2.18% |
| Total Need Treatment for Alcohol and/or Drugs | 9,120 | 11.02% |
Substance abuse is a significant concern in Maui County.
Creating healthy families and healthy people requires assessing more than just physical aches and pains; it is a comprehensive picture of wellness. Hawaiian culture emphasizes the treatment of mind, body, relationships, and spirit to achieve a truly healthy state of being. With adequate planning and collaboration, the County can make healthy lifestyles available to all Maui residents.
4. ISLAND HOUSING
Shelter is among the most basic of human needs. The affordability, quality, and location of housing—including the degree of crowding within the home and within the neighborhood—play an enormous role in the quality of life of Maui County’s residents. This section evaluates the observable trends in the housing market and the impacts of these trends on the County’s population.
Department of Health, State of Hawaii (2004). *Number and Percent Overweight (Including Obese) By County, Gender, Age, and Ethnicity – Adult Population of Hawaii*. ↩
Department of Health, State of Hawai`i (2004). Hawaiian Islands Oral Health Task Force Action Plan. ↩
Department of Health, State of Hawai`i (1995). Adult Household Survey of Substance Use and Treatment Needs. ↩
The affordability and quality of housing plays a large role in County residents' quality of life.
From 2000 to 2005, Maui County experienced a strong housing demand that was fueled by a strong local economy, low mortgage-interest rates, and Mainland interest in Maui County real estate as an investment alternative. The participation by off-island investors in Maui County’s real estate market has had a profound impact on housing demand.
Figure 6
⬚ figure
Nearly a fifth of the housing units in the County are not inhabited by County residents.
In 2004, 37 percent of all Maui Island housing sales were to buyers residing outside of Maui County. In the same year, more than 42 percent of sales in the Kihei-Makena Community Plan Area were to off-island buyers; in the West Maui Community Plan Area, the number of off-shore sales increased to more than half of total sales. (Non-resident ownership was much lower, with only 20 percent of the island’s residential property being owned by out-of-state residents).1
This increased demand has raised the prices for available island housing throughout the County. The Census Bureau estimated in 2005 there were 62,178 residential housing units within the County. Of those, 28,476 units were owner-occupied, 19,917 units were renter-occupied, and 13,705 units were vacant. This high vacancy rate (22.1 percent) can likely be attributed to the large number of second homes with absentee owners. While the homes may be vacant the majority of the year, they are not available to include in the pool of housing for local residents.
A majority of Maui County residents pay an unsustainably high proportion of their income towards housing.
Within the County, the median household income in 2005 was $57,573, and the median housing value was $573,400. The Census Bureau estimated that Maui County residents paid an average of $24,204 per year in mortgage costs, consuming 42.04 percent of their income. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported:
The generally accepted definition of affordability is for a household to pay no more than 30 percent of its annual income on housing. Families who pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing are considered cost burdened and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and medical care.
Department of Planning, County of Maui, Hawai`i (2006). 2030 Socio-Economic Forecast. ↩
⬚ figure
Home constructed circa 1930, Makawao, Maui, Hawai`i.
Because the median-income homeowner is far exceeding the standard annual allocation limit for housing, the majority of Maui County residents are paying an unsustainably high percentage of their income toward housing.
The challenge for first-time home buyers is especially great. Given the median income in 2005 and the estimated median housing value, the average annual housing cost to the first-time homebuyer family would be $41,000.1 This translates to 71.6 percent of the median family’s income—more than double the HUD-recommended standard expenditure.
As a comparison, the same 2005 Census estimates concluded that the median household income in the United States was $46,242, and the median housing value was $167,500. The Census concluded that existing homeowners across the nation were paying on average $15,540 per year for their mortgage, or 33.6 percent of their income. New homeowners in the United States would pay approximately $12,035 annually for a mortgage—only 26 percent of their income.
Affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households is in greatest demand.
This housing cost, along with higher costs for other goods (such as food and gasoline), may explain some of the out-migration. The Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawai`i reported in its Consolidated Plan (2004):
⬚ figure
Lanai City, Lanai, Hawai`i.
The largest categories of housing need are for units affordable to households earning below 50% and from 50-80% of the median income. These income groups exhibit the highest incidence of housing problems – cost burden, substandard units and overcrowding.
text ↩
Maui County Today
While difficult to track because of the necessarily transient behavior of the population, it is understood that homelessness and the difficulties associated with finding affordable, legal, and safe housing are growing problems throughout Hawai`i, and Maui County is no exception. Several service organizations throughout the County assist in providing emergency and transient housing. However, providing permanent housing for the chronically homeless is a challenge that Maui County and many communities throughout the nation are facing. Maui County is better equipped to accommodate housing shortages than many regions because it is common and socially acceptable for residents to live with extended family and foster children or hanai relatives.
Summary
Through awareness and adequate planning, Maui County can work to expand opportunities for education, to assist island residents in achieving healthy lifestyles, and to improve access to affordable housing.
Prior to statehood, Hawaii’s economy was driven by plantation agriculture (sugar and pineapple) and military spending. Since Hawaii’s incorporation into the United States, tourism has become the leading industry in the State. This shift toward a service-based economy brought with it impacts to employment, income, and economic development.
There are more wage earners per household in Hawai`i than in most other states.
The rates of growth in resident population, housing, and jobs are higher than the rate of growth for visitors. This means the Maui County economy has diversified and is less driven by tourism than in the past.1 However, overall, the State’s economy remains service oriented. Construction, manufacturing, and agriculture account for less than 10 percent of wages and salaries. For many years, Hawai`i had among the lowest rates of unemployment in the United States. The County as a whole reported a 3.1-percent unemployment rate for 2006; the State rate was 2.5 percent (lowest in the nation), while the national rate was 4.6 percent. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the County’s unemployment rate had risen to 9.7 percent as of September 2009, close to the national rate of 9.8 percent.
Currently, there are large employment centers in Wailuku-Kahului, Lahaina-Kaanapali, and Kihei. Nearly all of the residents of Lanai are employed within Lanai City; however, Molokai has no large centralized place of employment. These centers determine commuting patterns and will be important to evaluate for infrastructure, transportation, and service needs throughout the planning horizon.
Maui County Today
⬚ figure
Kapalua Resort, Kapalua, Maui, Hawai`i.
Hawaii’s employees have a strong history of participation in unions. Plantation workers began organizing themselves and striking in the early 1900s to protest wages and working conditions. In 1946, movement toward unionization was solidified during the Great Sugar Strike. Today, employees from a wide variety of employment sectors are unionized, including construction, agriculture, hotel, government, and shipping. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union maintains that about half of all its members are employed in Hawaii. This tradition of employee organization has arguably had both positive and negative impacts on the local economy. While unionization has likely led to better working conditions, pay, and benefits for Maui County’s employees, there may have been corresponding increases in the costs of goods and services for both residents and visitors.
2. INCOME
The median household income of residents in Maui County was higher than the national average in 2005, but slightly lower than that of Honolulu residents. Interestingly, the per capita income of both Maui County and Honolulu residents is similar to the national median of per capita income, suggesting that there are more wage earners per household in Hawai`i homes than nationally.
Table 4: U.S. Census Income Estimates for 2005
| Maui County | Honolulu | Hawai`i State | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $ 57,573 | $ 60,485 | $ 58,112 | $ 46,242 |
| Median Per Capita Income | $ 27,121 | $ 25,781 | $ 25,326 | $ 5,035 |
| Families Below Poverty Level | 4.6% | 7.3% | 7.7% | 10.2% |
| Individuals Below Poverty Level | 6.5% | 9.4% | 9.8% | 13.3% |
The percentage of the population of Maui County living below the nationally defined poverty level is lower than the national average.1 However, the Federal determination of poverty does not reflect cost of living in Hawai`i. For a three-person household, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) determined the following categories of low- to moderate-income households in Maui County in 2006:
text ↩
Maui County Today
Based upon the HUD determination that 30 percent of annual income is a sustainable cost for housing, Table 5 indicates appropriate housing costs for a three-person household.
Table 5: Income and Sustainable Housing Costs for Low-Moderate Income in Maui County
| Income Level | USDA Annual Income Thresholds for Maui County 2006 | Income Available for Housing | Affordable Monthly Payment | Affordable Mortgage (Assuming no down payment & 7% interest rate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very Low Income | $ 31,150.00 | $ 9,345 | $ 778.75 | $ 133,445.21 |
| Low Income | $ 49,800.00 | $ 14,940 | $1,245.00 | $ 213,340.97 |
| Moderate Income | $ 55,300.00 | $ 16,590 | $1,382.50 | $ 236,902.73 |
Maui County will benefit by further diversifying its economy.
In the early 1980s, Maui County's economy was dependent on agriculture and tourism, both of which were vulnerable to forces beyond the community's control. In 1981, a symposium entitled Maui's Economic Future attracted the participation of Maui County's elected, business, and community leaders. The participants explored approaches the County could take to strengthen and diversify the economy. The consensus of those leaders was that Maui County's economic future would benefit by diversifying into emerging industries such as the high-technology arena. As a result, the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) was formed to assist the County of Maui in pursuing opportunities in high technology and other growing sectors.
⬚ figure
Haleakala bicycle tour, Maui, Hawai`i. (Photo courtesy of Paul Gallagher.)
One of the many achievements of MEDB has been the development of the Maui Research and Technology Park (R&T Park) in Kihei. MEDB worked with key legislators to secure State funding for the Maui Research and Technology Center on land donated by the R&T Park developers.
Maui County is also moving toward diversification within the tourism industry, including the enhancement of niche tourism. Two rapidly expanding areas include ecotourism and wellness tourism.
Ecotourism emphasizes the interpretation of local ecosystems and culture and affords minimal visitation impact; commitment to local conservation issues; and direct benefits to local residents. Wellness tourism is travel for the purpose of enhancing balance and harmony, mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, according to the Hawai`i Wellness Tourism Association.
Maui County Today
Niche tourism has enormous potential to change the face of the tourism industry in Maui County.
Investments in agriculture, aquaculture, manufacturing, and energy production will improve the County’s economic climate.
Maui County is extremely dependent upon off-shore sources for energy, food, construction materials, and common daily goods. The participants of Focus Maui Nui expressed a desire to retool the County’s economy to enable Hawai`i to be more self-reliant. This would mean expanding agriculture, aquaculture, manufacturing, and renewable-energy sectors in the islands. By working toward self-sufficiency, Maui County’s economy could diversify dramatically, thereby offering additional opportunities for employment and income. In addition, the offshore dollars that come into the County through the tourism industry could produce a multiplier effect, as the money earned in this industry would purchase locally grown and produced goods and local services.
Transportation, utility, and community-facility systems allow communities to operate efficiently and serve the needs of the population. The placement and capacity of these systems can have a tremendous impact on the way land is developed. In addition, the quality of these systems and facilities has the potential to either improve or diminish the quality of life for residents.
Because of high precipitation and geological conditions, the populated islands of Maui County possess vast underground reservoirs of fresh water.
Water is the life-giving resource that sustains all biological systems. With Hawai`i the most isolated island archipelago on earth, a clean and reliable source of fresh water is vital. Water has played a major role in Maui County’s past and present, and will continue to be a driving force in the County’s future.
There are five major public water systems in Maui County: Central Maui, West Maui, Upcountry Maui, East Maui, and Moloka`i. Water sources consist of streams (surface water) and aquifers (groundwater). Maui County’s perennial streams are predominantly on the windward slopes of the islands’ watersheds. Streams are also influenced by periods of prolonged drought, resulting in minimal flow or even a dry stream bed. As a result of high precipitation and geology, the populated islands of Maui County possess vast underground reservoirs of fresh water called aquifers. Rainwater seeps through the highly permeable basalt of the volcanoes and is stored in aquifers, floating on the underlying saltwater. The majority of the water supplied by the County comes from groundwater. Groundwater is typically more abundant and reliable and less expensive to purify than surface water.
Wise management of water resources is vital to the quality of life of Maui County residents.
⬚ figure
Ditch in Wailuku, Maui, Hawai`i.
Beginning in the 1870s, privately owned tunnels, ditches, flumes, and wells were constructed to divert water to irrigate sugar plantations, and many of these water-delivery systems remain private today. Generally, essential resources, such as water, are held in trust by public entities. Privately owned delivery systems for water continue to raise questions about water rights on Maui. In the past, some of the aquifers, from which potable water is drawn, have been damaged from overuse or contamination. The utilization of water has been and will likely continue to be a critical factor for development on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai.
It is evident that within each of the Community Plan Areas there are very limited parameters for the sustainable yield of the water resources.
Access to fresh water will continue to be of paramount importance to Maui County’s urban, agricultural, industrial, and Native Hawaiian users. Land use decision making must be closely tied to water availability. The wise management of freshwater resources is vital to the quality of life of Maui County’s residents.
Wastewater consists of used water and waste from homes and workplaces, also known as sewage. It typically contains materials such as organic matter (human waste and food scraps), oil and grease, debris, and traces of heavy metals.
Management of the wastewater stream is important because it protects the water supply from becoming contaminated and aids in water conservation by allowing reclaimed water to be used for non-potable water purposes. Improper disposal of wastewater has the potential to damage the drinking-water supply, coastal water quality, and other important environmental resources.
There are three wastewater-management systems operating on Maui and one each on Molokai and Lanai. The majority of the rural and agriculturally developed areas of the County are served by individual cesspools and septic tanks.
⬚ figure
Kahului Wastewater Plant, Kahului, Maui, Hawai`i.
Maui County Today
The use of reclaimed wastewater for irrigation improves the efficiency of water use.
The use of reclaimed wastewater for irrigation is economically and environmentally beneficial. The State of Hawaii defines R-1 water as the highest-quality recycled water; it has undergone filtration and disinfection to make it safe for use on lawns, golf courses, parks, and other areas used by people. R-2 recycled water has a slightly lower quality relative to R-1 recycled water and can only be used under restricted circumstances where human contact is minimized. R-1 is primarily used in West Maui, South Maui, and Lanai. R-2 is used in Kahului and Molokai. The majority of the R-1 and R-2 water use is for irrigation. Haliimaile and Kualapuu have subdivision-collection systems that reclaim the wastewater for irrigation purposes, although Kualapuu continues to struggle with brackish contamination of its water. The resort facilities on Lanai operate and maintain their own wastewater-treatment facilities and utilize their own wastewater, as well as the wastewater from Lanai City, for irrigation. This water-reclamation activity dramatically improves the efficiency of water use.
c. Telecommunications and Information Technology
Maui County offers the business world a wealth of telecommunications capacity. The islands of Hawaii are the hub of a diversified network of transpacific cable systems (both fiber optic and analog), satellite communication systems, cellular and wireless facilities, and other telecommunication and information services. This telecommunications infrastructure makes it more cost effective and faster to communicate with major Asia-Pacific markets from Hawaii than from the Mainland or from within Asia.
Improvements to the telecommunications and information technology infrastructure will serve to better position the County in its efforts to diversify its economy.
2. TRANSPORTATION
Convenient and safe access to commercial facilities and community amenities are paramount to quality of life.
The County’s transportation system is vital to the health of the economy, the islands’ communities, and the daily lives of County residents.
a. Roads
⬚ figure
Road-system conditions, capacity, and current volumes vary tremendously throughout the County. There are particular places on Maui Island, such as Kahului and Lahaina, that act as pinch points for the circulation of traffic. There are other roads that are narrow, winding, and incredibly scenic; the capacity of these roads is relatively low, but the experience of traveling the roads in
Kaahumanu Avenue, Kahului, Maui, Hawaii.
their current state is more valuable than increasing capacity.
The County is in the process of developing a transportation-improvement and -mitigation program for the Island of Maui. A traffic-demand forecasting model was prepared to be used as a dynamic and interactive tool for projecting future traffic demand within the County. This will assist in the application of impact fees upon future developments and for creating transportation models for the Islands of Molokai and Lanai.
The presence or lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities can have an enormous impact upon the quality of life for all residents, but most significantly impacts children, seniors, and those who are unable or choose not to drive. Walking is the least-expensive form of transportation, and it is important to keep in mind that all trips begin and end with walking regardless of the interim transportation mode.
Many of the traditional town centers—including Lanai City, Kaunakakai, Paia, Wailuku, and Lahaina—have sidewalk facilities around shops and offices. However, both new and old neighborhoods are significantly lacking in non-motorized facilities throughout the County. Even in areas where some of the densest residential development exists in the County, there are major gaps in the pedestrian network.
Bicycle facilities and multi-use pathways provide excellent opportunities to diversify residents’ transportation alternatives.
⬚ figure
Pedestrian life, Lanai City, Lanai, Hawai`i.
Bicycle facilities and multi-use pathways provide excellent opportunities to diversify residents’ transportation alternatives, in addition to offering recreational options. Several areas on Maui Island have incorporated bike lanes into roadway sections. However, in some cases, the bikeways are cut off or are designed too narrow to meet the Federal Highway Administration’s requirements for bike lanes. Generally, when the State of Hawaii or Maui County widens roads, the inclusion or improvement of bike lanes is considered. There are several multi-use paths recently constructed or under development within the County, including the Northshore Greenway from Paia to Kahului Harbor and the Kihei-to-Kahului bikeway. Planning efforts such as the Upcountry Greenway Master Plan will bring the County closer to developing a truly multi-modal system of transportation.
Maui County’s current public-transportation program is composed of multiple elements, each with a specific purpose, which are designed to function together as
Maui County Today
a comprehensive service to meet the transit needs of residents and visitors on each island. Public transit is still in its infancy on Maui Island, but already some adjustments have been made to the system to improve efficiency and ridership. The County of Maui currently funds a public bus system that provides service in and between various Maui communities. Since the establishment of a public bus service in 2002, the total number of boardings has more than doubled.
This suggests that public transit has a positive future on Maui Island if the system is convenient and efficient. Now that a system is in place, future development and urban-redevelopment projects should incorporate the facilitation of the system into site plans.
Air travel made its debut to Maui after an emergency landing strip had been built at Ma‘alaea in 1919. Commercial service from Honolulu was initiated in 1929, after the strip had been upgraded to an airfield and was provided by Inter-island Airways, Ltd. But interisland freight and passenger service remained largely provided by ship until 1952.
⬚ figure
Interisland air travel
Today, Maui, Moloka‘i, and Lana‘i have commercial airports and receive passengers and cargo from around the world. Maui Island has a large airport in Kahului and two smaller airports in West Maui and East Maui, respectively. Lana‘i’s airport recently received improvements and some expansion, and improvements to the Kahului Airport are expected to occur over the planning horizon as well. The Airports Division of the State Department of Transportation indicates that the existing airport facilities on Moloka‘i are generally adequate to meet foreseeable demand, and, therefore, there are no plans for significant improvements.
In 1939, the United States Navy moved its Pacific Fleet from San Diego, California, to Pearl Harbor on O‘ahu. The alternate anchorage for the Pacific Fleet was located in the Au‘au Channel, off of Lahaina, and called “Lahaina Roads”. Mala Wharf in Lahaina quickly became the primary point of entry and was built to represent a grand promenade into paradise.
Today, there is a daily ferry service between Maui and Lana‘i and between Maui and Moloka‘i. These services are privately operated; however, they provide an essential connection between the islands serving both residents and visitors.
Hawai`i’s statewide school system is unique compared to the rest of the nation.
Hawai`i’s unitary statewide school system is unique within the United States. The school system began more than 160 years ago when King Kamehameha III established a public school system. The State Department of Education (DOE) currently serves more than 181,000 students in 285 schools and is approximately the 10th-largest school system in the United States.
The DOE is responsible for the development, operation, and maintenance of all public schools in the State. The planning process for the DOE in regard to building new schools is incremental. The DOE takes into consideration County and State zoning applications and will work with a developer prior to an application being acted upon by governmental agencies. These types of projects tend to be large, and the DOE in coordination with the Planning Department begins early negotiations with the developers in orderfc to get land set aside in the project for a new school. After this has been negotiated, it is then up to the State Legislature to approve funding to build and operate the new school.
The DOE primarily uses development data and historic-enrollment data to determine needs for new schools or expansion of existing schools. Population projections are used on a marginal basis. The educational system is operated under the mission of the Board of Education.
⬚ figure
Makawao, Maui, Hawai`i.
The Department of Education uses development projections and historic-enrollment data to determine the need for new schools or expansion of existing schools.
Maui County has 34 publicly funded schools as noted below. Lahainaluna High School was the first school to be built in the State and is the oldest public school west of the Mississippi.
In addition, there are 16 private elementary schools and 6 private intermediate/high school facilities within the County.
Currently, schools in Hawaii are in need of what some consider drastic help. The County can assist the State by working with developers to provide school sites.
The Maui County Department of Police has six main stations throughout the County and more than a dozen substations. The main stations are:
⬚ figure
Police Station, Wailuku, Maui, Hawai`i.
Currently, the greatest challenge for the Police Department is recruiting new officers. The Department of Fire and Public Safety is Maui County’s first responder to public-safety incidents and is often involved with land and water rescue. There are three fire stations on Molokai, one on Lanai, and ten on Maui. A newly constructed Kaunakaka`i Fire Station is scheduled to replace the existing facility by 2010.
The existing parks in the County of Maui are managed by three levels of government—County, State, and Federal—as well as private and semi-public organizations. These facilities are categorized into seven different types.
⬚ figure
Eddie Tam Memorial Center, Makawao, Maui, Hawai`i. (Photo courtesy of Dick Mayer.)
i. Mini-Parks
Mini-parks are the basic unit of recreation. They provide passive park space for a sub-neighborhood area. These facilities are designed to meet the needs of all age groups, whether as a quiet place, green backdrop, “tot lot” designed for the play of small children, or central meeting place. The ideal size of a mini-park is about 1.5 acres, an area large enough to accommodate informal ball games.
Maui County Today
Parks and public spaces make for more livable communities.
ii. Neighborhood Parks
Neighborhood parks are larger than mini-parks, but with many similar uses. With a moderate size of about 2 to 10 acres, the neighborhood park is able to accommodate many of the active recreational needs of a neighborhood by providing ball fields, informal play areas and sports courts, and similar active play areas. Incorporated around the active uses are opportunities for passive recreation (e.g., picnicking) and space for spectators. Some neighborhood parks are entirely dedicated to passive uses.
iii. Community or District Parks
Community or district parks complement all other parks within a community and provide for more diverse active recreation. The size of a community or district park is generally about 15 to 20 acres and may include indoor and outdoor facilities. Because it provides more facilities (both in number and type) than smaller park types, the community or district park is generally in greater demand by a larger population. Consequently, plans for community or district parks need to include adequate transportation arrangements.
iv. Regional Parks
Regional parks provide recreational activities that may not be available at community-level or smaller parks. Multi-purpose regional parks widen the diversity of recreational opportunities in the park system. Because of the size of their population base, regional parks should be no less than 40 acres, and are ideally 100 to 150 acres.
v. Special-Use Parks
These parks offer a variety of active and passive recreational uses, such as beaches, zoos, golf courses, preserves, and historic monuments. Special-use parks serve a regional or island-wide populace because their activities or points of interest are tied to a specific location. Space and facility standards for special-use parks are dependent on the nature of the resources or attractions they offer.
vi. Non-Motorized Transportation Facilities
Non-motorized transportation facilities are designed primarily for the use of pedestrians, bicyclists, or equestrians. They may be part of the highway (such as a shoulder), or they may be separated from highway traffic for exclusive non-motorized use (such as a bike path or sidewalk). They provide and enhance alternative modes of travel in place of automobile use between destinations. On-road bicycle routes and lanes, sidewalks, and multipurpose trails that link destinations are common examples of non-motorized transportation facilities.
vii. Planned Protected Areas
Planned protected areas contain natural resources or submerged waters with valued natural features or environmental characteristics that merit protection. The purpose of planned protected areas is to prioritize their conservation to achieve various recreational or environmental objectives.
Maui County has a mix of sub-regional, special-use, and regional-level parks. These comprise 821 acres of sub-regional parks and 334 acres of regional parks. These totals exclude State parks (e.g., Makena State Park), national parks (e.g., Haleakala National Park), and private parks. Private parks are not included because their usage is not regulated by the County of Maui. State and national parks are excluded because they serve uses beyond recreation (e.g., natural area preserves). If the acreage of private, State, and national parks were included in the computation of park land, it would skew the area of responsibility of the County of Maui, Department of Parks and Recreation.
Existing parks owned and operated by the County of Maui contain the following active-use facilities:
99 Sports Fields 47 Tennis Courts 38 Sports Courts 32 Tot Lots 17 Community Centers 17 Swimming Pools 9 Gyms 6 Skateboard Facilities 3 Gateball Facilities
In addition, the County has the following State Parks (by Community Plan Area):
Table 6: State Parks by Community Plan Area and Size
| State Park | Community Plan Area | Size (acres) |
|---|---|---|
| Pua`a Kau | Hana | 5.0 |
| `Iao | Wailuku-Kahului | 6.2 |
| Kaumahina | Hana | 7.8 |
| Polipoli Springs | Makawao-Pukalani-Kula | 10.0 |
| Hale Ki`i Heiau | Wailuku-Kahului | 10.2 |
| Wainapanapa | Hana | 122.1 |
| Makena | Kihei-Makena | 164.4 |
| Pala`au | Moloka`i | 233.7 |
Also, Haleakala National Park adds an additional 24,719 acres of land to the recreational lands inventory of the County.
Maui County Today
Table 7 presents the relative area, in acres, for all parks currently owned and/or operated by the County of Maui. The table also shows whether the total number of acres available meets the appropriate park standard of 10 acres per 1,000 persons (aggregate) for sub-regional parks. The analysis is based on the region's de facto population and assumes a usage potential and impact created by visitors. The data presented in Table 7 suggests that there is currently a deficit of approximately 1,100 acres in park space based on 2005 de facto population in every region except the Hana Community Plan Area.
Table 7: Summary of Existing Park Area
| Community Plan Area | Existing Area Acres | De Facto Population 2005 | Sub-Regional Park Area Needed | Surplus (Deficit) Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hana | 28.7 | 2,233 | 22.3 | 6.4 |
| Kihei-Makena | 114.2 | 45,056 | 450.6 | -336.4 |
| Lana'i | 15.4 | 4,587 | 45.9 | -30.5 |
| Makawao-Pukalani-Kula | 118.40 | 23,195 | 232.0 | -113.7 |
| Moloka'i | 72.97 | 7,826 | 78.3 | -5.3 |
| Pai'a-Ha'iku | 109.7 | 12,256 | 122.6 | -12.9 |
| Wailuku-Kahului | 185.6 | 47,706 | 477.1 | -293.3 |
| West Maui | 124.8 | 44,701 | 447.0 | -322.2 |
| Total | 769.7 | 187,560 | 1,875.6 | -1,106.1 |
Note: Wailuku-Kahului does not include 334 acres of the Maui Central Park District and Waiehu Golf Course.
The County currently operates and maintains 21 Community Centers: one on Lana'i, three on Moloka'i, and 17 on Maui. These centers are available to the public for meetings, gatherings, or other events. Many of them host the County recreation-program activities.
The State Department of Land and Natural Resources manages approximately 1 million acres of land. This land can be divided into roughly three categories: those where the public is actively invited to recreate (e.g., State parks); those where the public is not actively invited, but where it is known that the public utilizes the land (e.g., forestry area reserves and unencumbered State land); and those where the public does not enter (e.g., inaccessible watershed areas). Through the Na Ala Hele trail and access system, the State makes many of its conservation lands available to residents and visitors. These trails invite the public to enjoy some of the most intimate and pristine places of the County. There are 16 trails on Maui, one on Moloka'i, and four on Lana'i.
(blank page)
(blank page)
Key Strategies
Participants throughout the planning process were thoughtful, reflective, and insightful as they formulated key strategies that will help the residents of Maui County realize their vision and uphold their core principles. The following key strategies identify the concerns over conditions and patterns of Maui County today and help to define a path for goal setting.
One of Maui County’s greatest assets is its natural beauty. From the upland forests to the coral reefs, the islands of Maui County are a portrait of a rare and amazing natural world. Protection of the natural environment—including the ecological systems therein—is of vital importance.
The cultures and traditions of Maui County’s people make the lifestyle of the islands unique and special. Preserving cultural resources and perpetuating the Aloha Spirit are important to maintaining our quality of life and sense of place.
Education is the foundation upon which the future health and happiness of Maui County’s residents depend. As such, residents will have to invest significant resources into working with the State to improve public K-12 education and establishing a public university and other educational institutions with strong academic programs.
Ensuring the health and safety of each resident is one of the most basic obligations of County, State, and Federal government. To achieve this, it is important for the different levels of government to work together to provide a wide variety of social and healthcare services that meet the challenges and needs of each community.
Maui County’s attractive environment has increased the demand for housing not only for local residents, but for off-shore owners as well, which has contributed to the challenges of obtaining affordable housing for many Maui County families. To achieve balance in the housing market, it is important to work cooperatively with developers to ensure a range of housing options is available for varying income levels and demographic groups.
Recognize the important economic contributions that the visitor industry makes to Maui County, and support a healthy and vibrant visitor industry. Maui County’s economy has been largely dependent upon the visitor industry, and residents recognize the need to diversify with environmentally and ethically positive businesses that align with local values. This requires an economic environment that supports innovation and nurtures small and locally owned businesses, and a society that rewards industries that honor the County’s cultural heritage and natural environment. The County’s economic strength may also
Key Strategies
be enhanced by growing our own food, producing our own goods, and generating our own energy resources.
G. Improve Parks and Public Facilities
Because our species is social by nature, we all require places to relax and congregate together in safe public spaces. Maui County’s parks and public facilities are not just used by residents, but also by a vast number of visitors. The opportunity to experience the abundance of social and recreational activities that are available in Maui County will depend on the ability of the public and private sectors to fund, plan, maintain, and develop adequate facilities.
H. Diversify Transportation Options
Diversification of the County’s transportation network is essential to building capacity within the existing overtaxed transportation systems. Maui County should work with the State and Federal governments to provide equal access and many options, including bikeways and pedestrian corridors, to move safely around the islands.
I. Improve Physical Infrastructure
New and old sustainable approaches for the delivery, use, and conservation of water and energy resources, along with new ways of thinking about the recycling and disposal of waste, are among the opportunities upon which Maui County can capitalize.
J. Promote Sustainable Land Use and Growth Management
Loss of open space, increasing infrastructure costs, and a desire for more housing options suggest that alternative methods of land use and growth management are necessary for Maui County. Mixing land uses, utilizing environmentally sensitive design, and developing neighborhoods that are walkable and conducive to transit in Maui County could create sustainable communities that are great places to live, work, and play.
K. Strive for Good Governance
Like many municipalities, Maui County has at times struggled to see its planning efforts carried through to implementation. To realize the goals and objectives of this Countywide Policy Plan, it will be essential for the residents of the County to inspire resolve among their leaders and collectively contribute their resources and skills to making this Plan a reality.
These key strategies are designated as goals in Section IV of this Plan.
(blank page)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
As part of the effort to develop this Countywide Policy Plan, the County of Maui supported and conducted a number of public-participatory workshops and meetings and other community-involvement activities. The intent of these outreach efforts was to establish a broadly held consensus about the preferred future of the community. A series of broad themes and goals, each supported by more specific objectives, policies, and implementing action statements, were formulated. The core themes are indicated below (in no order of priority):
A. Protect the Natural Environment B. Preserve Local Cultures and Traditions C. Improve Education D. Strengthen Social and Healthcare Services E. Expand Housing Opportunities for Residents F. Strengthen the Local Economy G. Improve Parks and Public Facilities H. Diversify Transportation Options I. Improve Physical Infrastructure J. Promote Sustainable Land Use and Growth Management K. Strive for Good Governance L. Mitigate Climate Change and Work Toward Resilience
Goals are intended to describe a desirable condition of the County by the year 2030. They are intentionally general, but are attainable through concerted effort. Objectives tend to be more specific and may be regarded as milestones in the journey to achieve the larger goals. Policy statements are not intended as regulations, but instead provide a general guideline for County decision makers, departments, and collaborating organizations toward the attainment of goals and objectives. Implementation action statements are specific tasks, procedures, programs, or techniques that carry out policy. Because this Policy Plan is largely general and aspirational in nature, it is not intended to be used in the review of applications for ministerial permits.
As the policies of this Plan are applied, it is likely some policies will overlap or appear inconsistent, and policies will compete for scarce resources. In such cases, the participants of Focus Maui Nui recommended planning and decision making with a balanced approach that takes as many policies as possible into consideration without forsaking other needs. However, they recognized that some prioritization will be necessary. For example, most participants said that if they must choose between areas of need or make tradeoffs, the preservation of natural resources, the islands’ identity, and cultural assets must be considered before improvements to infrastructure or even steps to strengthen the economy. Participants articulated a hope that more balance could exist in decision making, and they supported the notion that many issues could be addressed simultaneously by developing strategies that take into consideration ostensibly competing policies.
This Section sets forth the fundamental goals, objectives, and policies of the County in regard to realizing our key strategies countywide. This section also establishes the following elements mandated by Section 2.80B, Maui County Code: the County’s vision and core principles. The subsequent goals, objectives, and policies are based on and intended to effectuate these elements. Cumulatively, Section IV contains all of the mandatory elements of the Countywide Policy Plan under Chapter 2.80B.
Maui County will be an innovative model of sustainable island living and a place where every individual can grow to reach his or her potential.
The needs of each individual, the needs of the whole community, and the needs of our natural and cultural assets will be brought into balance to reflect the high value we place on both our natural environment and our people.
The education and health of our people will be fostered to ensure that the residents of these islands can, if they choose, spend their whole lives here – raising children, owning homes, enjoying rewarding jobs, taking advantage of opportunities to contribute to this community, and to be good stewards of our local treasures and resources.
Maui County will be a leader in the creation of responsible, self-sufficient communities and environmentally sound economic development and land stewardship.
That which makes Maui County unique in the world will be preserved, celebrated, and protected for generations to come.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
CORE PRINCIPLES
To accomplish our vision, the people of our islands must foster and respect the Aloha Spirit. We must consider the future generations of Maui County and be true to these core principles:
Countywide objectives and policies for population, land use, the environment, the economy, and housing -
A. Protect the Natural Environment
Goal: Maui County’s natural environment and distinctive open spaces will be preserved, managed, and cared for in perpetuity.
Objective:
Policies:
a. Perpetuate native Hawaiian biodiversity by preventing the introduction of invasive species, containing or eliminating existing noxious pests, and protecting critical habitat areas.
b. Preserve and reestablish indigenous and endemic species’ habitats and their connectivity.
c. Restore and protect forests, wetlands, watersheds, and stream flows, and guard against wildfires, flooding, and erosion.
d. Protect baseline stream flows for perennial streams, and support policies that ensure adequate stream flow to support Native Hawaiian aquatic species, traditional kalo cultivation, and self-sustaining ahupua`a.
e. Protect the natural state and integrity of unique terrain, valued natural environments, and geological features.
f. Preserve and provide ongoing care for important scenic vistas, view planes, landscapes, and open-space resources.
g. Expand coordination with the State and nonprofit agencies and their volunteers to reduce invasive species, replant indigenous species, and identify critical habitat.
Implementing Actions:
a. Develop island-wide networks of greenways, watercourses, and habitat corridors.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
Objective: 2. Improve the quality of environmentally sensitive, locally valued natural resources and native ecology of each island.
Policies: a. Protect and restore nearshore reef environments and water quality. b. Protect marine resources and valued wildlife. c. Improve the connection between urban environments and the natural landscape, and incorporate natural features of the land into urban design. d. Utilize land-conservation tools to ensure the permanence of valued open spaces. e. Mitigate the negative effects of upland uses on coastal wetlands, marine life, and coral reefs. f. Regulate the use and maintenance of stormwater-treatment systems that incorporate the use of native vegetation and mimic natural systems. g. Advocate for stronger regulation of fishing, boating, cruise ship, and ecotourism activities. h. Restore watersheds and aquifer-recharge areas to healthy and productive status, and increase public knowledge about the importance of watershed stewardship, water conservation, and groundwater protection.
Implementing Actions: a. Develop regulations to minimize runoff of pollutants into nearshore waters and reduce nonpoint and point source pollution.
Objective: 3. Improve the stewardship of the natural environment.
Policies: a. Preserve and protect natural resources with significant scenic, economic, cultural, environmental, or recreational value. b. Improve communication, coordination, and collaboration among government agencies, nonprofit organizations, communities, individuals, and land owners that work for the protection of the natural environment. c. Evaluate development to assess potential short-term and long-term impacts on land, air, aquatic, and marine environments. d. Regulate access to sensitive ecological sites and landscapes. e. Provide public access to beaches and shorelines for recreational and cultural purposes where appropriate.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
f. Support the acquisition of resources with scenic, environmental, and recreational value, and encumber their use. g. Improve enforcement activities relating to the natural environment. h. For each shoreline community, identify and prioritize beach-conservation objectives, and develop action plans for their implementation.
Implementing Actions:
a. Document, record, and monitor existing conditions, populations, and locations of flora and fauna communities. b. Establish a baseline inventory of available natural resources and their respective carrying capacities.
Objective: 4. Educate residents and visitors about responsible stewardship practices and the interconnectedness of the natural environment and people.
Policies:
a. Expand education about native flora, fauna, and ecosystems. b. Align priorities to recognize that the health of the natural environment and the health of people are inextricably linked.
B. Preserve Local Cultures and Traditions
Goal: Maui County will foster a spirit of pono and protect, perpetuate, and reinvigorate its residents’ multi-cultural values and traditions to ensure that current and future generations will enjoy the benefits of their rich island heritage.
Objective:
Policies:
a. Protect and preserve access to mountain, ocean, and island resources for traditional Hawaiian cultural practices.
b. Prohibit inappropriate development of cultural lands and sites that are important for traditional Hawaiian cultural practices, and establish mandates for the special protection of these lands in perpetuity.
c. Promote the use of ahupuaa and moku management practices. d. Encourage the use of traditional Hawaiian architecture and craftsmanship. e. Promote the use of the Hawaiian language. f. Recognize and preserve the unique natural and cultural characteristics of each ahupuaa or district.
g. Encourage schools to promote broader incorporation of Hawaiian and other local cultures’ history and values lessons into curriculum.
h. Ensure the protection of Native Hawaiian rights.
i. Promote, encourage, and require the correct use of traditional place names, particularly in government documents, signage, and the tourism industry.
Implementing Actions: a. Establish alternative land use and overlay zoning designations that recognize and preserve the unique natural and cultural characteristics of each ahupua`a or district. b. Develop requirements for all County applicants to perpetuate and use proper traditional place names in all applications submitted.
Objective: 2. Emphasize respect for our island lifestyle and our unique local cultures, family, and natural environment.
Policies: a. Acknowledge the Hawaiian culture as the host culture, and foster respect and humility among residents and visitors toward the Hawaiian people and their practices. b. Perpetuate a respect for diversity, and recognize the historic blending of cultures and ethnicities. c. Encourage the perpetuation of each culture's unique cuisine, attire, dance, music, and folklore, and other unique island traditions and recreational activities. d. Recognize the interconnectedness between the natural environment and the cultural heritage of the islands. e. Protect and prioritize funding for recreational activities that support local cultural practices, such as surfing, fishing, and outrigger-canoe paddling.
Objective: 3. Preserve for present and future generations the opportunity to know and experience the arts, culture, and history of Maui County.
Policies: a. Foster teaching opportunities for cultural practitioners to share their knowledge and skills. b. Support the development of cultural centers. c. Broaden opportunities for public art and the display of local artwork. d. Foster the Aloha Spirit by celebrating the Hawaiian host culture and other Maui County cultures through support of cultural-education programs, festivals, celebrations, and ceremonies. e. Support the perpetuation of Hawaiian arts and culture. f. Support programs and activities that record the oral and pictorial history of residents. g. Support the development of repositories for culture, history, genealogy, oral history, film, and interactive learning.
Implementing Actions: a. Establish incentives for the display of public art.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
b. Establish centers and programs of excellence for the perpetuation of Hawaiian arts and culture.
Objective: 4. Preserve and restore significant historic architecture, structures, cultural sites, cultural districts, and cultural landscapes.
Policies: a. Support the development of an island-wide historic, archaeological, and cultural resources inventory. b. Promote the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of historic sites, buildings, and structures to perpetuate a traditional sense of place. c. Identify a sustainable rate of use and set forth specific policies to protect cultural resources. d. Protect and preserve lands that are culturally or historically significant. e. Support programs that protect, record, restore, maintain, provide education about, and interpret cultural districts, landscapes, sites, and artifacts in both natural and museum settings. f. Perpetuate the authentic character and historic integrity of rural communities and small towns. g. Seek solutions that honor the traditions and practices of the host culture while recognizing the needs of the community. h. Support the development of an Archaeological District Ordinance. i. Protect summits, slopes, and ridgelines from inappropriate development. j. Support the registering of important historic sites on the State and Federal historic registers. k. Provide opportunities for public involvement with restoration and enhancement of all types of cultural resources. l. Foster partnerships to identify and preserve or revitalize historic and cultural sites.
Implementing Actions: a. Identify, develop, map, and maintain an inventory of locally significant natural, cultural, and historical resources for protection. b. Prepare, continually update, and implement a cultural-management plan for cultural sites, districts, and landscapes, where appropriate. c. Enact an Archaeological District Ordinance. d. Nominate important historic sites to the State and Federal historic registers.
C. Improve Education
Goal: Residents will have access to lifelong formal and informal educational options enabling them to realize their ambitions.
Objective:
Policies: a. Encourage the State to provide teachers with nationally competitive pay and benefit packages. b. Encourage the State to ensure teachers will have the teaching tools and support staff needed to provide students with an excellent education. c. Explore Maui County district- and school-based decision making in public education.
Objective: 2. Provide nurturing learning environments that build skills for the 21st century.
Policies:
a. Expand professional-development opportunities in disciplines that support the economic-development goals of Maui County.
b. Plan for demographic, social, and technological changes in a timely manner.
c. Encourage collaborative partnerships to improve conditions of learning environments.
d. Promote development of neighborhood schools and educational centers.
e. Integrate schools, community parks, and playgrounds, and expand each community’s use of these facilities.
f. Support coordination between land use and school-facility planning agencies.
g. Encourage the upgrade and ongoing maintenance of public-school facilities.
h. Encourage the State Department of Education to seek reliable, innovative, and alternative methods to support a level of per-pupil funding that places Hawaii among the top tier of states nationally for its financial support of public schools. i. Encourage the State to promote healthier, more productive learning environments, including by providing healthy meals, more physical activity, natural lighting, and passive cooling. j. Encourage the State to support the development of benchmarks to measure the success of Hawaii’s public-education system and clarify lines of accountability.
k. Design school and park facilities in proximity to residential areas.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
l. Support technology- and natural-environment-based learning. m. Encourage the State to support lower student-teacher ratios in public schools. n. Encourage alternative learning and educational opportunities.
Implementing Actions:
a. Develop safe walking and bicycling programs for school children.
Objective: 3. Provide all residents with educational opportunities that can help them better understand themselves and their surroundings and allow them to realize their ambitions.
Policies:
a. Encourage the State to improve Maui Community College as a comprehensive community college that will serve each community. b. Broaden the use of technology and telecommunications to improve educational opportunities throughout the County. c. Attract graduate-level research programs and institutions. d. Promote the teaching of traditional practices, including aquaculture; subsistence agriculture; Pacific Island, Asian, and other forms of alternative health practices; and indigenous Hawaiian architecture. e. Integrate cultural and environmental values in education, including self-sufficiency and sustainability. f. Foster a partnership and ongoing dialogue between business organizations, formal educational institutions, and vocational training centers to tailor learning and mentoring programs to County needs. g. Ensure teaching of the arts to all ages. h. Expand and develop vocational learning opportunities by establishing trade schools. i. Encourage the State to integrate financial and economic literacy in elementary, secondary, and higher-education levels.
Implementing Actions:
a. Encourage the State to establish a four-year university, and support the development of other higher-education institutions to enable residents to obtain bachelor degrees and postgraduate degrees in Maui County.
Objective: 4. Maximize community-based educational opportunities.
Policies:
a. Encourage the State and others to expand pre-school, after-school, and home-based (parent-child) learning.
b. Support public-private partnerships to develop youth-internship, -apprenticeship, and -mentoring programs.
c. Support the development of a wide range of informal educational and cultural programs for all residents.
d. Improve partnerships that utilize the skills and talents at Hawai`i's colleges and universities to benefit the County.
e. Support career-development and job-recruitment programs and centers.
f. Attract learning institutions and specialty schools to diversify and enhance educational opportunities.
g. Expand education of important life skills for the general public.
h. Support community facilities such as museums, libraries, nature centers, and open spaces that provide interactive-learning opportunities for all ages.
D. Strengthen Social and Healthcare Services
Goal: Health and social services in Maui County will fully and comprehensively serve all segments of the population.
Objective:
Policies: a. Work with other levels of government and the nonprofit sector to expand services to address hunger, homelessness, and poverty. b. Support the improvement of opportunities for disadvantaged youth, encourage the tradition of hanai relatives, and support expanded opportunities for foster care. c. Support expanded long-term-care options, both in institutions and at home, for patients requiring ongoing assistance and medical attention. d. Encourage the expansion and improvement of local hospitals, facilitate the establishment of new healthcare facilities, and facilitate prompt and high-quality emergency- and urgent-care services for all. e. Support broadened access to affordable health insurance and health care, and recognize the unique economic challenges posed to families when healthcare services are provided off-island. f. Encourage equal access to social and healthcare services through both technological and traditional means.
Objective: 2. Encourage the Federal and State governments and the private sector to improve the quality and delivery of social and healthcare services.
Policies: a. Strengthen partnerships with government, nonprofit, and private organizations to provide funding and to improve counseling and other assistance to address substance abuse, domestic violence, and other pressing social challenges. b. Encourage the State to improve the quality of medical personnel, facilities, services, and equipment. c. Encourage investment to improve the recruitment of medical professionals and the quality of medical facilities and equipment throughout Maui County.
d. Promote the development of continuum-of-care facilities that provide assisted-living, hospice, home-care, and skilled-nursing options allowing the individual to be cared for in a manner congruent with his or her needs and desires.
e. Support improved social, healthcare, and governmental services for special needs populations.
f. Plan for the needs of an aging population and the resulting impacts on social services, housing, and healthcare delivery.
g. Improve coordination among the police, the courts, and the public in the administration of social and healthcare services.
h. Support programs that address needs of veterans.
i. Support programs that address the needs of immigrants.
Implementing Actions:
a. Invest in programs designed to improve the general welfare and quality of life of Native Hawaiians.
b. Assist and facilitate the State Department of Public Safety and others in efforts to strengthen programs and facilities that will improve the mental and social health of incarcerated people and assist in prison inmates’ successful transition back into Maui County communities.
c. Develop and maintain a comprehensive index that will measure the health and wellness needs of families.
d. Provide heliports countywide for emergency health and safety purposes.
Objective: 3. Strengthen public-awareness programs related to healthy lifestyles and social and medical services.
Policies:
a. Expand public awareness about personal safety and crime prevention.
b. Encourage residents to pursue education and training for careers in the healthcare, social services, and community-development fields.
c. Expand public awareness and promote programs to achieve healthy eating habits and drug-free lifestyles.
E. Expand Housing Opportunities for Residents
Goal: Quality, island-appropriate housing will be available to all residents.
Objective:
Policies:
a. Ensure that an adequate and permanent supply of affordable housing, both new and existing units, be made available for purchase or rental to our resident and/or workforce population, with special emphasis on providing housing for low- to moderate-income families, and ensure that all affordable housing remains affordable in perpetuity.
b. Seek innovative ways to lower housing costs without compromising the quality of our island lifestyle.
c. Seek innovative methods to secure land for the development of low- and moderate-income housing.
d. Provide the homeless population with emergency and transitional shelter and other supportive programs.
e. Provide for a range of senior-citizen and special needs housing choices on each island that affordably facilitates a continuum of care and services.
f. Support the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' development of homestead lands.
g. Manage property-tax burdens to protect affordable resident homeownership.
h. Explore taxation mechanisms to increase and maintain access to affordable housing.
i. Improve awareness regarding available affordable homeowner's insurance.
j. Redevelop commercial areas with a mixture of affordable residential and business uses, where appropriate.
k. Ensure residents be given priority to obtain affordable housing units developed in their communities, consistent with all applicable regulations.
l. Establish pricing for affordable housing that is more reflective of Maui County's workforce than the United States Housing and Urban Development's median-income estimates for Maui County.
m. Develop neighborhoods with a mixture of accessible and integrated community facilities and services.
n. Provide alternative regulatory frameworks to facilitate the use of Kuleana lands by the descendants of Native Hawaiians who received those lands pursuant to the Kuleana Act of 1850.
o. Work with lending institutions to expand housing options and safeguard the financial security of homeowners. p. Promote the use of the community land trust model and other land-lease and land-financing options. q. Support the opportunity to age in place by providing accessible and appropriately designed residential units.
Objective: 2. Increase the mix of housing types in towns and neighborhoods to promote sustainable land use planning, expand consumer choice, and protect the County’s rural and small-town character.
Policies: a. Seek innovative ways to develop `ohana cottages and accessory-dwelling units as affordable housing. b. Design neighborhoods to foster interaction among neighbors. c. Encourage a mix of social, economic, and age groups within neighborhoods. d. Promote infill housing in urban areas at scales that capitalize on existing infrastructure, lower development costs, and are consistent with existing or desired patterns of development. e. Encourage the building industry to use environmentally sustainable materials, technologies, and site planning. f. Develop workforce housing in proximity to job centers and transit facilities. g. Provide incentives to developers and owners who incorporate green building practices and energy-efficient technologies into their housing developments.
Implementing Actions: a. Revise laws to support neighborhood designs that incorporate a mix of housing types that are appropriate for island living.
Objective: 3. Increase and maintain the affordable housing inventory.
Policies: a. Recognize housing as a basic human need, and work to fulfill that need. b. Prioritize available infrastructure capacity for affordable housing. c. Improve communication, collaboration, and coordination among housing providers and social-service organizations.
d. Study future projected housing needs, monitor economic cycles, and prepare for future conditions on each island. e. Develop public-private and nonprofit partnerships that facilitate the construction of quality affordable housing. f. Streamline the review process for high-quality, affordable housing developments that implement the goals, objectives, and policies of the General Plan. g. Minimize the intrusion of housing on prime, productive, and potentially productive agricultural lands and regionally valuable agricultural lands. h. Encourage long-term residential use of existing and future housing to meet residential needs.
Implementing Actions:
a. Develop policies to even out the peaks and valleys in Maui County’s construction-demand cycles.
Policies:
a. Broaden access to information about County, State, and Federal programs that provide financial assistance to renters and home buyers. b. Expand access to information about opportunities for homeownership and self-help housing. c. Educate residents about making housing choices that support their individual needs, the needs of their communities, and the health of the islands’ natural systems. d. Improve home buyers’ education on all aspects of homeownership.
F. Strengthen the Local Economy
Goal: Maui County’s economy will be diverse, sustainable, and supportive of community values.
Objective:
Policies: a. Support economic decisions that create long-term benefits. b. Promote lifelong education, career development, and technical training for existing and emerging industries. c. Invest in infrastructure, facilities, and programs that foster economic diversification. d. Support and promote locally produced products and their locally owned operations and businesses that benefit local communities and meet local demand. e. Support programs that assist industries to retain and attract more local labor and facilitate the creation of jobs that offer a living wage. f. Encourage work environments that are safe, rewarding, and fulfilling to employees. g. Support home-based businesses that are appropriate for and in character with the community. h. Encourage businesses that promote the health and well-being of the residents, produce value-added products, and support community values. i. Foster an understanding of the role of all industries in our economy. j. Support efforts to improve conditions that foster economic vitality in our historic small towns. k. Support and encourage traditional host-culture businesses and indigenous agricultural practices. l. Support public and private entities that assist entrepreneurs in establishing locally operated businesses.
Implementing Actions: a. Develop regulations and programs that support opportunities for local merchants, farmers, and small businesses to sell their goods and services directly to the public. b. Monitor the carrying capacity of the islands’ social, ecological, and infrastructure systems with respect to the economy.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
Objective: 2. Diversify and expand sustainable forms of agriculture and aquaculture.
Policies:
a. Support programs that position Maui County’s agricultural products as premium export products. b. Prioritize the use of agricultural land to feed the local population, and promote the use of agricultural lands for sustainable and diversified agricultural activities. c. Capitalize on Hawai‘i’s economic opportunities in the ecologically sensitive aquaculture industries. d. Assist farmers to help make Maui County more self-sufficient in food production. e. Support ordinances, programs, and policies that keep agricultural land and water available and affordable to farmers. f. Support a tax structure that is conducive to the growth of the agricultural economy. g. Enhance County efforts to monitor and regulate important agricultural issues. h. Support education, research, and facilities that strengthen the agricultural industry. i. Maintain the genetic integrity of existing food crops. j. Encourage healthy and organic farm practices that contribute to land health and regeneration. k. Support cooperatives and other types of nontraditional and communal farming efforts. l. Encourage methods of monitoring and controlling genetically modified crops to prevent adverse effects. m. Work with the State to ease the permitting process for the revitalization of traditional fish ponds.
Implementing Actions:
a. Redirect efforts in the Office of Economic Development to further facilitate the development of the agricultural section and to monitor agricultural legislation and issues. b. Publicly identify, with signage and other means, the field locations of all genetically modified crops. c. Create agricultural parks in areas distant from genetically modified crops before they are subdivided or otherwise developed.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
Objective: 3. Support a visitor industry that respects the resident culture and the environment.
Policies: a. Promote traditional Hawaiian practices in visitor-related facilities and activities. b. Encourage and educate the visitor industry to be sensitive to island lifestyles and cultural values. c. Encourage a spirit of welcome for residents at visitor facilities, such as by offering kama`aina incentives and discount programs. d. Support the renovation and enhancement of existing visitor facilities. e. Support policies, programs, and a tax structure that redirect the benefits of the visitor industry back into the local community. f. Encourage resident ownership of visitor-related businesses and facilities. g. Develop partnerships to provide educational and training facilities to residents employed in the visitor industry. h. Foster an understanding of local cultures, customs, and etiquette, and emphasize the importance of the Aloha Spirit as a common good for all. i. Support the diversification, development, evolution, and integration of the visitor industry in a way that is compatible with the traditional, social, economic, spiritual, and environmental values of island residents. j. Improve collaboration between the visitor industry and the other sectors of Maui County’s economy. k. Perpetuate an authentic image of the Hawaiian culture and history and an appropriate recognition of the host culture. l. Support the programs and initiatives outlined in the Maui County Tourism Strategic Plan 2006-2015. m. Promote water conservation, beach conservation, and open-space conservation in areas providing services for visitors. n. Recognize the important contributions that the visitor industry makes to the County’s economy.
Objective: 4. Expand economic sectors that increase living-wage job choices and are compatible with community values.
Policies: a. Support emerging industries, including the following:
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
G. Improve Parks and Public Facilities
Goal: A full range of island-appropriate public facilities and recreational opportunities will be provided to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors.
Objective:
Policies: a. Protect, enhance, and expand access to public shoreline and mountain resources. b. Expand and enhance the network of parks, multi-use paths, and bikeways. c. Assist communities in developing recreational facilities that promote physical fitness. d. Expand venue options for recreation and performances that enrich the lifestyles of Maui County’s people. e. Expand affordable recreational and after-school programs for youth. f. Encourage and invest in recreational, social, and leisure activities that bring people together and build community pride. g. Promote the development and enhancement of community centers, civic spaces, and gathering places throughout our communities. h. Expand affordable access to recreational opportunities that support the local lifestyle.
Implementing Actions: a. Identify and reserve lands for cemeteries, and preserve existing cemeteries on all islands, appropriately accommodating varying cultural and faith-based traditions.
Objective: 2. Improve the quality and adequacy of community facilities.
Policies: a. Provide an adequate supply of dedicated shelters and facilities for disaster relief. b. Provide and maintain community facilities that are appropriately designed to reflect the traditions and customs of local cultures. c. Ensure that parks and public facilities are safe and adequately equipped for the needs of all ages and physical abilities to the extent reasonable.
d. Maintain, enhance, expand, and provide new active and passive recreational facilities in ways that preserve the natural beauty of their locations. e. Redesign or retrofit public facilities to adapt to major shifts in environmental or urban conditions to the extent reasonable.
Objective: 3. Enhance the funding, management, and planning of public facilities and park lands.
Policies: a. Identify and encourage the establishment of regulated and environmentally sound campgrounds. b. Manage park use and control access to natural resources in order to rest sensitive places and utilize the resources in a sustainable manner. c. Provide public-recreational facilities that are clean and well-maintained. d. Develop partnerships to ensure proper stewardship of the islands’ trails, public lands, and access systems. e. Ensure that there is an adequate supply of public restrooms in convenient locations.
Implementing Actions: a. Encourage the State to allow for overnight fishing along the shoreline in accordance with management plans and regulations. b. Develop and regularly update functional plans, including those relating to public facilities, parks, and campgrounds. c. Develop and adopt local level-of-service standards for public facilities and parks. d. Identify, acquire, and develop lands for parks, civic spaces, and public uses.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
H. Diversify Transportation Options
Goal: Maui County will have an efficient, economical, and environmentally sensitive means of moving people and goods.
Objective:
Policies: a. Execute planning strategies to reduce traffic congestion. b. Plan for the efficient relocation of roadways for the public benefit. c. Support the use of alternative roadway designs, such as traffic-calming techniques and modern roundabouts. d. Increase route and mode options in the ground-transportation network. e. Ensure that roadway systems are safe, efficient, and maintained in good condition. f. Preserve roadway corridors that have historic, scenic, or unique physical attributes that enhance the character and scenic resources of communities. g. Design new roads and roadway improvements to retain and enhance the existing character and scenic resources of the communities through which they pass. h. Promote a variety of affordable and convenient transportation services that meet countywide and community needs and expand ridership of transit systems. i. Collaborate with transit agencies, government agencies, employers, and operators to provide planning strategies that reduce peak-hour traffic. j. Develop and expand an attractive, island-appropriate, and efficient public-transportation system. k. Provide and encourage the development of specialized transportation options for the young, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. l. Evaluate all alternatives to preserve quality of life before widening roads. m. Encourage businesses in the promotion of alternative transportation options for resident and visitor use.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
Implementing Actions: a. Create incentives and implement strategies to reduce visitor dependence on rental cars. b. Establish efficient public-transit routes between employment centers and primary workforce residential areas. c. Create attractive, island-appropriate, conveniently located park-and-ride and ride-share facilities.
Objective: 2. Reduce the reliance on the automobile and fossil fuels by encouraging walking, bicycling, and other energy-efficient and safe alternative modes of transportation.
Policies: a. Make walking and bicycling transportation safe and easy between and within communities. b. Require development to be designed with the pedestrian in mind. c. Design new and retrofit existing rights-of-way with adequate sidewalks, bicycle lanes, or separated multi-use transit corridors. d. Support the development of a countywide network of bikeways, equestrian trails, and pedestrian paths. e. Support the reestablishment of traditional trails between communities, to the ocean, and through the mountains for public use. f. Encourage educational programs to increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Implementing Actions: a. Design, build, and modify existing bikeways to improve safety and separation from automobiles. b. Increase enforcement to reduce abuse of bicycle and pedestrian lanes by motorized vehicles. c. Identify non-motorized transportation options as a priority for new sources of funding.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
Objective: 3. Improve opportunities for affordable, efficient, safe, and reliable air transportation.
Policies: a. Discourage private helicopter and fixed-wing landing sites to mitigate environmental and social impacts. b. Encourage the use of quieter aircraft and noise-abatement procedures for arrivals and departures. c. Encourage the modernization and maintenance of air-transportation facilities for general-aviation activities. d. Encourage a viable and competitive atmosphere for air carriers to expand service and ensure sufficient intra-County flights and affordable fares for consumers. e. Continue to support secondary airports, and encourage the State to provide them with adequate funding. f. During Community Plan updates, explore the use of the smaller airports. g. Encourage the State to provide efficient, adequate, and affordable parking and transit connections within and around airports
Objective: 4. Improve opportunities for affordable, efficient, safe, and reliable ocean transportation.
Policies: a. Support programs and regulations that reduce the disposal of maritime waste and prevent spills into the ocean. b. Encourage the upgrading of harbors to resist damage from natural hazards and disasters. c. Encourage the State to study the use of existing harbors and set priorities for future use. d. Explore all options to protect the traditional recreational uses of harbors, and mitigate harbor-upgrade impacts to recreational uses where feasible. e. Encourage the upgrading of harbors and the separation of cargo and bulk materials from passenger and recreational uses. f. Encourage the State to provide for improved capacity at shipping, docking, and storage facilities. g. Encourage the State to provide adequate parking facilities and transit connections within and around harbor areas.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
h. Encourage the redevelopment and revitalization of harbors while preserving historic and cultural assets in harbor districts.
i. Encourage the State to provide adequate facilities for small-boat operations, including small-boat launch ramps, according to community needs.
j. Support the maintenance and cleanliness of harbor facilities.
k. Support the redevelopment of harbors as pedestrian-oriented gathering places, with employee facilities and passengers.
Objective: 5. Improve and expand the planning and management of transportation systems.
Policies:
a. Encourage progressive community design and development that will reduce transportation trips.
b. Require new developments to contribute their pro rata share of local and regional infrastructure costs.
c. Establish appropriate user fees for private enterprises that utilize public-transportation facilities for recreational purposes.
d. Support the revision of roadway-design criteria and standards so that roads are compatible with surrounding neighborhoods and the character of rural areas.
e. Plan for multi-modal transportation and utility corridors on each island.
f. Support designing all transportation facilities, including airport, harbor, and mass-transit stations, to reflect Hawaiian architecture.
g. Utilize transportation-demand management as an integral part of transportation planning.
h. Accommodate the planting of street trees and other appropriate landscaping in all public rights-of-way.
I. Improve Physical Infrastructure
Goal: Maui County’s physical infrastructure will be maintained in optimum condition and will provide for and effectively serve the needs of the County through clean and sustainable technologies.
Objective:
Policies: a. Ensure that adequate supplies of water are available prior to approval of subdivision or construction documents. b. Develop and fund improved water-delivery systems. c. Ensure a reliable and affordable supply of water for productive agricultural uses. d. Promote the reclamation of gray water, and enable the use of reclaimed, gray, and brackish water for activities that do not require potable water. e. Retain and expand public control and ownership of water resources and delivery systems. f. Improve the management of water systems so that surface-water and groundwater resources are not degraded by overuse or pollution. g. Explore and promote alternative water-source-development methods. h. Seek reliable long-term sources of water to serve developments that achieve consistency with the appropriate Community Plans.
Implementing Actions: a. Develop a process to review all applications for desalination.
Objective: 2. Improve waste-disposal practices and systems to be efficient, safe, and as environmentally sound as possible.
Policies: a. Provide sustainable waste-disposal systems and comprehensive, convenient recycling programs to reduce the flow of waste into landfills. b. Support innovative and alternative practices in recycling solid waste and wastewater and disposing of hazardous waste.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
c. Encourage vendors and owners of automobile, appliance, and white goods to participate in the safe disposal and recycling of such goods, and ensure greater accountability for large waste producers.
d. Develop strategies to promote public awareness to reduce pollution and litter, and encourage residents to reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost waste materials.
e. Pursue improvements and upgrades to existing wastewater and solid-waste systems consistent with current and future plans and the County’s Capital Improvement Program.
Implementing Actions:
a. Establish recycling, trash-separation, and materials recovery programs and facilities to reduce the flow of waste into landfills.
b. Study the feasibility of developing environmentally safe waste-to-energy facilities.
c. Utilize taxes and fees as means to encourage conservation and recycling.
d. Implement and regularly update the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan.
e. Phase out the use of injection wells.
Objective: 3. Direct growth in a way that makes efficient use of existing infrastructure and to areas where there is available infrastructure capacity.
Policies:
a. Capitalize on existing infrastructure capacity as a priority over infrastructure expansion.
b. Planning for new towns should only be considered if a region’s growth is too large to be directed into infill and adjacent growth areas.
c. Utilize appropriate infrastructure technologies in the appropriate locations.
d. Promote land use patterns that can be provided with infrastructure and public facilities in a cost-effective manner.
e. Support catchment systems and on-site wastewater treatment in rural areas and aggregated water and wastewater systems in urban areas if they are appropriately located.
Implementing Actions:
a. Develop a streamlining system for urban infill projects.
b. Identify appropriate areas for urban expansion of existing towns where infrastructure and public facilities can be provided in a cost-effective manner.
Objective: 4. Improve the planning and management of infrastructure systems.
Policies: a. Provide a reliable and sufficient level of funding to enhance and maintain infrastructure systems. b. Require new developments to contribute their pro rata share of local and regional infrastructure costs. c. Improve coordination among infrastructure providers and planning agencies to minimize construction impacts. d. Maintain inventories of infrastructure capacity, and project future infrastructure needs. e. Require social-justice and -equity issues to be considered during the infrastructure-planning process. f. Discourage the development of critical infrastructure systems within hazard zones and the tsunami-inundation zone to the extent practical. g. Ensure that infrastructure is built concurrent with or prior to development. h. Ensure that basic infrastructure needs can be met during a disaster. i. Locate public facilities and emergency services in appropriate locations that support the health, safety, and welfare of each community and that minimize delivery inefficiencies. j. Promote the undergrounding of utility and other distribution lines for health, safety, and aesthetic reasons.
Implementing Actions: a. Develop and regularly update functional plans for infrastructure systems. b. Develop, adopt, and regularly update local or community-sensitive level-of-service standards for infrastructure systems.
J. Promote Sustainable Land Use and Growth Management
Goal: Community character, lifestyles, economies, and natural assets will be preserved by managing growth and using land in a sustainable manner.
Objective:
Policies: a. Establish, map, and enforce urban- and rural-growth limits. b. Direct urban and rural growth to designated areas. c. Limit the number of visitor-accommodation units and facilities in Community Plan Areas. d. Maintain a sustainable balance between the resident, part-time resident, and visitor populations. e. Encourage redevelopment and infill in existing communities on lands intended for urban use to protect productive farm land and open-space resources. f. Direct new development in and around communities with existing infrastructure and service capacity, and protect natural, scenic, shoreline, and cultural resources. g. Establish and maintain permanent open space between communities to protect each community’s identity. h. Support the dedication of land for public uses. i. Preserve the public’s rights of access to and continuous lateral access along all shorelines. j. Enable existing and future communities to be self-sufficient through sustainable land use planning and management practices. k. Protect summits, slopes, and ridgelines from inappropriate development.
Implementing Actions: a. Regularly update urban- and rural-growth boundaries and their maps. b. Establish transfer and purchase of development rights programs. c. Develop and adopt a green infrastructure plan. d. Develop studies to help determine a sustainable social, environmental, and economic carrying capacity for each island. e. Identify and define resort-destination areas.
Objective: 2. Improve planning for and management of agricultural lands and rural areas.
Policies: a. Protect prime, productive, and potentially productive agricultural lands to maintain the islands’ agricultural and rural identities and economies. b. Provide opportunities and incentives for self-sufficient and subsistence homesteads and farms. c. Discourage developing or subdividing agriculturally designated lands when non-agricultural activities would be primary uses. d. Conduct agricultural development planning to facilitate robust and sustainable agricultural activities.
Implementing Actions: a. Inventory and protect prime, productive, and potentially productive agricultural lands from competing non-agricultural land uses.
Objective: 3. Design all developments to be in harmony with the environment and to protect each community’s sense of place.
Policies: a. Support and provide incentives for green building practices. b. Encourage the incorporation of green building practices and technologies into all government facilities to the extent practicable. c. Protect and enhance the unique architectural and landscape characteristics of each Community Plan Area, small town, and neighborhood. d. Ensure that adequate recreational areas, open spaces, and public-gathering places are provided and maintained in all urban centers and neighborhoods. e. Ensure business districts are distinctive, attractive, and pedestrian-friendly destinations. f. Use trees and other forms of landscaping along rights-of-way and within parking lots to provide shade, beauty, urban-heat reduction, and separation of pedestrians from automobile traffic in accordance with community desires. g. Where appropriate, integrate public-transit, equestrian, pedestrian, and bicycle facilities, and public rights-of-way as design elements in new and existing communities. h. Ensure better connectivity and linkages between land uses. i. Adequately buffer and mitigate noise and air pollution in mixed-use areas to maintain residential quality of life.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
j. Protect rural communities and traditional small towns by regulating the footprint, locations, site planning, and design of structures. k. Support small-town revitalization and preservation. l. Facilitate safe pedestrian access, and create linkages between destinations and within parking areas.
Implementing Actions: a. Establish design guidelines and standards to enhance urban and rural environments. b. Provide funding for civic-center and civic-space developments. c. Establish and enhance urban forests in neighborhoods and business districts.
Objective: 4. Improve and increase efficiency in land use planning and management.
Policies: a. Assess the cumulative impact of developments on natural ecosystems, natural resources, wildlife habitat, and surrounding uses. b. Ensure that new development projects requiring discretionary permits demonstrate a community need, show consistency with the General Plan, and provide an analysis of impacts. c. Encourage public and private partnerships to preserve lands of importance, develop housing, and meet the needs of residents. d. Promote creative subdivision designs that implement: best practices in land development, sustainable management of natural and physical resources, increased pedestrian and bicycle functionality and safety, and the principles of livable communities. e. Coordinate with Federal, State, and County officials in order to ensure that land use decisions are consistent with County plans and the vision local populations have for their communities. f. Enable greater public participation in the review of subdivisions. g. Improve land use decision making through the use of land- and geographic-information systems.
Implementing Actions: a. Institute a time limit and sunsetting stipulations on development entitlements and their implementation.
K. Strive for Good Governance
Goal: Government services will be transparent, effective, efficient, and responsive to the needs of residents.
Objective:
Policies: a. Plan and prepare for the effects of social, demographic, economic, and environmental shifts. b. Plan for and address the possible implications of Hawaiian sovereignty. c. Encourage collaboration among government agencies to reduce duplication of efforts and promote information availability and exchange. d. Expand opportunities for the County to be involved in and affect State and Federal decision making. e. Plan and prepare for large-scale emergencies and contingencies. f. Improve public awareness about preparing for natural hazards, disasters, and evacuation plans. g. Improve coordination among Federal, State, and County agencies.
Implementing Actions: a. Develop policies, regulations, and programs to protect and enhance the unique character and needs of the County's various communities. b. Evaluate and, if necessary, recommend modifications to the County Charter that could result in a possible change to the form of governance for Maui County. c. Study and evaluate the feasibility and implications of district voting in Maui County Council elections. d. Study and evaluate the feasibility of authorizing town governments in Maui County.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
Objective: 2. Promote civic engagement.
Policies: a. Foster consensus building through in-depth, innovative, and accessible public-participatory processes. b. Promote and ensure public participation and equal access to government among all citizens. c. Encourage a broad cross-section of residents to volunteer on boards and commissions. d. Encourage the State to improve its community-involvement processes. e. Support community-based decision making. f. Expand advisory functions at the community level. g. Expand opportunities for all members of the public to participate in public meetings and forums. h. Facilitate the community’s ability to obtain relevant documentation. i. Increase voter registration and turnout.
Implementing Actions: a. Implement two-way communication using audio-visual technology that allows residents to participate in the County’s planning processes. b. Ensure and expand the use of online notification of County business and public meetings, and ensure the posting of all County board and commission meeting minutes. c. Explore funding mechanisms to improve participation by volunteers on boards and commissions. d. Develop a project-review process that mandates early and ongoing consultation in and with communities affected by planning and land use activities.
Objective: 3. Improve the efficiency, reliability, and transparency of County government’s internal processes and decision making.
Policies: a. Use advanced technology to improve efficiency.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
b. Simplify and clarify the permitting process to provide uniformity, reliability, efficiency, and transparency.
c. Improve communication with Lanai and Molokai through the expanded use of information technologies, expanded staffing, and the creation and expansion of government-service centers.
d. Ensure that laws, policies, and regulations are internally consistent and effectuate the intent of the General Plan.
Implementing Actions:
a. Update the County Code to be consistent with the General Plan. b. Identify and update County regulations and procedures to increase the productivity and efficiency of County government. c. Develop local level-of-service standards for infrastructure, public facilities, and services. d. Implement plans through programs, regulations, and capital improvements in a timely manner. e. Expand government online services.
Objective: 4. Adequately fund in order to effectively administer, implement, and enforce the General Plan.
Policies:
a. Adequately fund, staff, and support the timely update and implementation of planning policy, programs, functional plans, and enforcement activities. b. Ensure that the County’s General Plan process provides for efficient planning at the County, island, town, and neighborhood level. c. Encourage ongoing professional development, education, and training of County employees. d. Encourage competitive compensation packages for County employees to attract and retain County personnel. e. Enable the County government to be more responsive in implementing our General Plan and Community Plans. f. Review discretionary permits for compliance with the Countywide Policy Plan. g. Strengthen the enforcement of County, State, and Federal land use laws.
Implementing Actions:
a. Establish penalties to ensure compliance with County, State, and Federal land use laws.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
Objective: 5. Strive for County government to be a role model for implementing cultural and environmental policies and practices.
Policies: a. Educate residents on the benefits of sustainable practices. b. Encourage the retention and hiring of qualified professionals who can improve cultural and environmental practices. c. Incorporate environmentally sound and culturally appropriate practices in government operations and services. d. Encourage all vendors with County contracts to incorporate environmentally sound and culturally appropriate practices.
L. Mitigate Climate Change and Work Toward Resilience
Goal: Minimize the causes and negative effects of climate change.
Objective:
Policies:
a. Increase reforestation efforts by encouraging residents and visitors to plant non-invasive gardens and trees. b. Improve communication, coordination, and collaboration among those that work to mitigate climate change impacts. c. Promote the teaching and use of regenerative agriculture. d. Invest in infrastructure that is not dependent on fossil fuels and utilizes renewable energy. e. Improve efforts to mitigate and plan for the impact of natural disasters and global warming. f. Encourage the building industry to use environmentally sustainable materials, technology, and site planning. g. Reduce air, noise, light, land, and water pollution, and reduce Maui County’s contribution to global climate change. h. Plan and prepare for and educate visitors and residents about the possible effects of global warming. i. Promote programs and incentives that decrease greenhouse-gas emissions and improve environmental stewardship. j. Support the development of carbon-emission standards and an incentive program aimed at achieving County carbon-emission goals.
Implementing Actions:
a. Implement Federal and State policies that require a reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions. b. Establish a Countywide Climate Action Plan c. Develop programs that assist residents and businesses with obtaining access to renewable energy sources. d. Revise laws to support neighborhood designs that incorporate the use of renewable energy sources that are appropriate for island living. e. Incorporate planting of native and indigenous trees as a major component of Urban Design to both cool neighborhoods and reduce carbon dioxide.
<u>Goals, Objectives, and Policies</u>
f. Coordinate with State, County, and private landowners in the development of forestry and prioritizing of native and indigenous trees to reduce carbon dioxide.
g. Strongly support efforts to restore and improve Maui County’s watersheds for the purpose of improving the water supply, controlling carbon dioxide levels, decreasing soil runoff, and reducing coastal flooding.
Objective: 2. Reduce the impacts of sea-level rise by acknowledging climate change, adapting, mitigating, and planning accordingly.
Policies:
a. Evaluate development to assess potential short-term and long-term sea-level rise impacts on nearshore environments.
b. Improve efforts to mitigate and plan for the impact of sea-level rise.
c. Protect undeveloped beaches, dunes, and ecosystems, and restore natural shoreline processes.
d. Develop an inventory of private wastewater systems (septic systems, cesspools) that may be affected by sea-level rise.
e. Strengthen coastal-zone management, re-naturalization of shorelines, where possible, and filtration or treatment of urban and agricultural runoff.
f. Educate the construction and landscape industries and property owners about the use of best management practices to prevent erosion and nonpoint source pollution.
g. Discourage beach hardening processes such as building sea walls and revetments that block movement of the shoreline and can accelerate erosion.
h. Discourage new entitlements for residential, resort, or commercial development along the shoreline.
i. Restrict development in areas that are prone to sea-level rise.
j. Move or rebuild public facilities away from nearshore environments to account for sea-level rise to the extent reasonable.
k. Move or rebuild roads that are in sea-level rise inundation zones to the extent reasonable.
l. Ensure that public or affordable housing projects include siting and design standards that promote equity and resilience for vulnerable populations.
m. Identify, research, and evaluate innovative and sustainable financing to support mitigation and adaptation to sea level rise.
Implementing Actions:
a. Develop programs to help transition shoreline property owners out of their nearshore locations and develop a long-term plan to stay out of the way of natural beach migration. b. Identify buildings, roads, and other infrastructure that are in sea-level rise inundation zones and assist in adaptive efforts, including nature-based solutions, elevation, or moving them away from such zones. c. Identify disaster redevelopment alternatives that support resilience-focused adaptation to sea level rise in the event of a catastrophic coastal event.
Objective: 3. Significantly increase the use of renewable and green technologies to promote energy efficiency and energy self-sufficiency.
Policies:
a. Promote the use of locally renewable energy sources, and reward energy efficiency. b. Consider tax incentives and credits for the development of sustainable- and renewable-energy sources. c. Expand education about energy conservation and self-sufficiency. d. Encourage small-scale energy generation that utilizes wind, sun, water, biowaste, and other renewable sources of energy. e. Expand renewable-energy production. f. Develop public-private partnerships to ensure the use of renewable energy and increase energy efficiency. g. Require the incorporation of locally appropriate energy-saving and green building design concepts in all new developments by providing energy-efficient urban design guidelines and amendments to the Building Code. h. Encourage the use of sustainable energy to power vehicles. i. Promote the retrofitting of existing buildings and new development to incorporate energy-saving design concepts and devices. j. Encourage green footprint practices. k. Reduce Maui County’s dependence on fossil fuels and energy imports. l. Support green building practices such as the construction of buildings that aim to minimize carbon dioxide production, produce renewable energy, and recycle water. m. Promote and support environmentally friendly practices in all energy sectors.
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
Implementing Actions:
a. Adopt an energy-efficiency policy for Maui County government as a model for other jurisdictions.
b. Adopt a Green Building Code and support green building practices.
care:misc:047abill01 – attachment:nas
(blank page)
(blank page)
Next Steps
This Countywide Policy Plan is the initial plan document of a total of 11 plan documents that comprise the General Plan update. The Policy Plan, by design, is a broad policy document and identifies a vision for the future of Maui County. It establishes a set of guiding principles and provides comprehensive goals, objectives, policies, and implementing actions that portray the desired direction of the County’s future. It serves as a basis for subsequent implementation programs to inspire desired changes and improvements in the social, economic, and environmental conditions of the County.
The implementing programs necessary to achieve this Countywide Policy Plan are in part promoted in the implementing actions herein. However, implementation will be further developed in much greater specificity in the Island and Community Plans, budget ordinances, Capital Improvement Programs, functional plans, regulatory mechanisms, and other programs that will carry out the Policy Plan.
Hana Kaho‘olawe Lana‘i Moloka‘i Kihei-Makena Makawao-Pukalani-Kula Pa‘ia-Ha‘iku Wailuku-Kahului West Maui
Budgeting and Capital Improvement Programs will be guided by the goals, objectives, and policies laid out in the Countywide Policy Plan, Maui Island Plan, and nine Community Plans. Furthermore, all County agency actions will be consistent with the policies and objectives of the Countywide Policy Plan, Maui Island Plan, and Community Plan updates.
County Laws will need to be regularly reviewed and amended to be consistent with the intent of the General Plan components.
Public Participation and the Community Plan Advisory Committees will play an important role in ensuring that the Maui Island Plan and the Community Plans are sensitive to changing conditions in Maui County.
(blank page)
(blank page)
(blank page)