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Record of Proceedings

Maui County Council Meeting Summary - January 7, 2026

County Council & Committees — Wednesday, January 7, 2026
BodyMaui County, Hawaii
SessionCounty Council & Committees
DateWednesday, January 7, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
2:57

Well, the council meeting of January seventh, twenty twenty-six.

3:01

Please come to order.

3:02

It is now nine oh three.

3:04

Uh members, we ready.

3:06

Oh, we're missing one.

3:08

Right.

3:08

I think uh member U Hudgens will be joining us momentarily in five or ten minutes.

3:16

Chair proceeding with roll call.

3:19

Councilmember Kawanoi Batangan.

3:21

Morning, Chair.

3:23

Vice Chair Yuki Lee Suki Mora.

3:25

Good morning, Chair.

3:26

Councilmember Tamara Palton.

3:29

Aloha Kakayakako.

3:32

Councilmember Gabe Johnson.

3:35

Aloha Chair, Councilmembers, committee members.

3:37

There's no testifiers at the night district office.

3:40

I'm here and ready to work.

3:41

Mah.

3:43

Council Member Keoni Rollins Fernandez.

3:45

Aloha Kakayakakako.

3:47

Uh, there are currently no testifiers at the Mulakai District Office.

3:50

Mahalaja.

3:51

Councilmember Tom Cook.

3:53

Thanks.

3:53

Hello, good morning.

3:55

There's currently no testifiers at the Key Office, but we have people on standby.

3:59

Thank you.

4:00

Councilmember No Helani U Hodges.

4:02

Excuse.

4:03

Council Member Shane Senenti.

4:09

And Council Chair Alice Lee.

4:11

Aloha and happy new year, everyone.

4:14

Chair, you have eight members present, one excused.

4:16

A quorum is present to conduct the business of the county council.

4:19

For the record, I'm the county clerk, Moana Ludi.

4:22

Also present with me next to me is the Deputy County Clerk, Rochelle Thompson.

4:27

Present from my office and the legislative division staff is Joyce Murashike, Del Yoshida and Arthur Shiyama.

4:34

Assisting the council with maintaining order and decorum is Council Ambassador Ryan Martins.

4:39

Joining the meeting from the Office of Council Services is Director David Rotz, and legislative attorney Megan Moniz.

4:46

And from the Department of the Corporation Council is Deputy Corporation Council Caleb.

5:00

And they will be few.

5:16

And of course I have names for them.

5:20

What actually my father is his name is Angel, Angelo Lee.

5:24

He is mother, I told you is from Spain.

5:26

So he had the Spanish name of Angel.

5:30

But I had my own angels too.

5:34

I had Frank and Ernest and Prudence.

5:39

So I had them on my shoulder.

5:41

I still have them on my shoulder.

5:43

And I so that's why I never feel like I'm alone because I have the spiritual support of my angels.

5:52

But Frank and Ernest is, I probably chose those names because that's how I am.

5:59

I'm very straightforward, as you know.

6:01

I don't dance around like not you, but other people.

6:15

And so it's like today, too.

6:19

The resolution, my resolution for 2026, is to become a more patient person.

6:28

So I am adding one more angel on my shoulder, and her name is Patience.

6:36

So I have Frank, Ernest, Prudence, and Patience.

6:43

And I'm announcing it publicly because accountability matters.

6:51

And the truth is I've noticed that I've become increasingly impatient over the years.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████████28%
Zoning Code Revision██████████████14%
Cultural Preservation██████████10%
Affordable Housing█████████9%
Budget█████████9%
Water And Wastewater Management█████5%
Planning█████5%
Land Use Planning████4%
Legislation████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Maui County Council Meeting Summary - January 7, 2026

The Maui County Council convened on January 7, 2026, to conduct official business, beginning with a ceremonial recognition of Kumu Hula Iola Balabar's 50 years of service and a personal resolution from Chair Lee to cultivate patience. The meeting featured extensive deliberation on budget amendments for disaster recovery, housing projects, and water conservation, followed by a contentious debate regarding the creation of new H3 and H4 hotel zoning districts in West Maui. Various bills were passed on first reading, referred to committees, or tabled for public hearings, while Resolution 26-4 was adopted to authorize a ground lease for affordable housing development on Lānaʻi.

Consent Calendar

  • Unanimous adoption of Resolution 25213, honoring Kumuhula Iola Balabar for 50 years of hula excellence.
  • Unanimous approval of Committee Reports CR26-1 and CR26-2 regarding Department of Public Works fund transfers and the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility loan.
  • Unanimous passage of Committee Report CR26-3 (first reading of Bill 161: swimming pool moratorium in West Maui).
  • Unanimous passage of Committee Report CR26-4 (first reading of Bill 168: affordable rental property tax exemption).
  • Unanimous passage of Committee Report CR26-5 (first reading of Bill 158: water conservation enforcement) and the related amendment requiring pool covers.
  • Adoption of Resolutions 26-2 and 26-3 (one-year lease extensions for Hale Kupuna lessees) and Resolution 26-4 (ground lease to A0745 Lanai LP for affordable housing).
  • Passage of Bills 105, 182, and 194 on second and final reading.
  • Passage of Bill 168 (tax exemption) on first reading.
  • Passage of Resolution 25-230 to transmit H3/H4 hotel district zoning proposal to planning commissions.
  • Passage of Bill 194 (county council vacancies) on second and final reading.
  • Passing of Bills 6, 7, 8, and 11 on first reading as a group motion.
  • Passing of Bills 184, 186–191, and 193 on second and final reading as a group motion.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Support for Kumu Hula Iola Balabar: Marcy Martin, Ivy Caldito, Rochelle Mendoza, and Johanna Amarin expressed deep personal gratitude and pride in Balabar's 50 years of teaching hula and fostering community aloha. Rochelle Mendoza emphasized that Balabar represents the essence of aloha through patience and humility.
  • Bill 193/192 Staff Support: Lorraine Akita (Executive Director, Ethics Commission) and Michael Lilly (Vice Chair, Ethics Commission) expressed strong support for increasing Commission staffing from three to five, citing an overwhelming workload and the ethical necessity of separate attorneys for contested cases.
  • Bill 3 (Housing Interim Financing): Brian Whitman (Director of Housing) clarified that $2 million in insurance proceeds from the Komohana Halle apartments rebuild are in a separate enterprise fund, urging floor action to prevent delays in FEMA-related housing needs.
  • Budget Flexibility (Bill 4): Director David Rotz and Autumn Ness (Lāhainā Community Land Trust) explained that $5 million in carryover savings from the Open Space Fund should be transferred to Housing to provide flexibility, as current restrictions hinder the trust's ability to secure residential parcels before a potential post-settlement flood of sales.
  • Housing Urgency: Douglas Bigley (HHFTC) emphasized the critical need to finalize land leases for the Lānaʻi project to meet HIFA deadlines, stating that land control is a prerequisite for financing.
  • Water Conservation and Moratorium: Jonathan Heldon (Grassroots Institute) and other testifiers expressed strong support for the swimming pool moratorium (Bill 161) and water conservation enforcement (Bill 158), citing the need to prioritize water for housing and essential needs over non-essential uses. Heldon also supported amendments to the H3/H4 zoning to include shoreline safeguards.
  • Concerns on Zoning Process: Tom Crowley urged the council to avoid embedding specific conditions in the initial zoning enabling legislation, suggesting that such restrictions be handled on a case-by-case basis during change of zoning reviews to maintain flexibility.
  • Opposition to Expanding TVR Uses: Councilmember Paulton (in testimony, later vote) and others expressed concern that proposed zoning amendments might inadvertently expand transient vacation rental (TBR) uses beyond current legal statuses.

Discussion Items

  • Resolution 25230 (H3/H4 Hotel Districts): Intense debate occurred regarding whether to send a "clean" bill to the Planning Commission or transmit specific amendments (ASFs) proposed by Councilmembers Paulton and Rollins Fernandez. Paulton and Rollins Fernandez advocated for including language on shoreline protection, armoring restrictions, and managed retreat to guide the Planning Commission. Councilmember Cook and others argued for sending the bill clean to avoid complicating the review process, preferring to address specific shoreline conditions in a separate, comprehensive bill later. Councilmember Batangan voted against the amendments due to concerns about zone-by-zone application versus county-wide policy. Councilmember U. Hodgins stated she would vote no on the specific amendments but proposed sending meeting minutes to the commission as an alternative. The motion to adopt Paulton's amendments (substitution) failed 4-5. The motion to adopt Rollins Fernandez's specific amendments (sections 6-9 regarding armoring and removal) failed 4-5. The motion to adopt Rollins Fernandez's other amendments (striking specific TBR phasing language) failed 3-6. However, the motion to file the County Communications and transmit the bill was passed 9-0. Ultimately, the resolution to transmit the bill was passed 8-1.
  • Bill 3 (Komohana Halle Rebuild): Councilmember Paulton moved to pass the bill on first reading to address urgent FEMA deadlines (700 households potentially needing housing by Feb 28). Discussion highlighted confusion over fund nomenclature (revolving vs. enterprise), with Councilmember Sugimura noting the need for a 7B for clarification, but the urgency prevailed, and the motion passed.
  • Bill 4 (Lahaina Community Land Trust): Debate focused on the flexibility provided by transferring $5 million from the Open Space Fund. Vice Chair Sugimura requested a 7B to better understand the implications of the fund transfer and real estate market timing, which Councilmember Johnson agreed would be helpful before the budget season.
  • Bill 120 (Water Availability Policy): Referral to the Water and Infrastructure Committee.
  • Bills 9 & 10 (Water Infrastructure): Referral to the Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee.
  • Bill 183 (West Maui Height Limits): Tabled pending a required public hearing in the district.
  • Bill 192 (Houseless Solutions): Passed on second and final reading, updating conditional language to develop a resiliency hub and accommodate a West Maui safe parking site using existing facilities rather than new construction.

Key Outcomes

  • Resolution 25213: Adopted unanimously to honor Kumuhula Iola Balabar.
  • Resolution 26-4: Adopted unanimously (9-0) to authorize a ground lease to A0745 Lanai LP for the Lānaʻi affordable housing project (372 units).
  • Bill 3: Passed on first reading (9-0) to authorize $2M for the Komohana Halle Apartments rebuild, enabling immediate pre-development work.
  • Bill 4: Passed on first reading (9-0) to transfer $5M to the Lahaina Community Land Trust.
  • Bill 5: Passed on first reading (9-0) to insert Namaka Omalilo as the grantee for the Makwa Yahaiku fund.
  • Bill 6, 7, 8, 11: Passed on first reading (9-0) as a group for Safe Parking, East Maui Water Authority, Lahaina Homecoming event, and Khalani Apartment unit distribution updates respectively.
  • Bill 105, 182, 194: Passed on second and final reading (unanimously or near-unanimously).
  • Bill 185: Passed on second and final reading (8-1, with Councilmember Batangan recusing herself).
  • Bills 184, 186-191, 193: Passed on second and final reading (9-0) as a group for various capital improvements and budget amendments.
  • Bill 192: Passed on second and final reading (9-0).
  • Resolution 2523: Filed (9-0) as moot, superseded by Resolution 26-4.
  • Bill 158 (Water Conservation): First reading passed with an amendment requiring pool covers (9-0).
  • Bill 161 (Swimming Pool Moratorium): First reading passed (9-0).
  • Bill 168 (Tax Exemption): First reading passed (9-0).
  • Resolution 25230: Transmitted to Planning Commissions with County Communications 26-1 and 26-2 filed separately; specific amendments by Paulton and Rollins Fernandez failed on multiple votes (4-5 and 3-6) due to disagreements on the approach to shoreline management and zone-by-zone versus comprehensive legislation.
  • Recusals: Councilmember Batangan recused herself from voting on Bill 185 due to a pending Board of Ethics advisory opinion regarding a previous appointment.

Meeting Transcript

Well, the council meeting of January seventh, twenty twenty-six. Please come to order. It is now nine oh three. Uh members, we ready. Oh, we're missing one. Right. I think uh member U Hudgens will be joining us momentarily in five or ten minutes. Chair proceeding with roll call. Councilmember Kawanoi Batangan. Morning, Chair. Vice Chair Yuki Lee Suki Mora. Good morning, Chair. Councilmember Tamara Palton. Aloha Kakayakako. Councilmember Gabe Johnson. Aloha Chair, Councilmembers, committee members. There's no testifiers at the night district office. I'm here and ready to work. Mah. Council Member Keoni Rollins Fernandez. Aloha Kakayakakako. Uh, there are currently no testifiers at the Mulakai District Office. Mahalaja. Councilmember Tom Cook. Thanks. Hello, good morning. There's currently no testifiers at the Key Office, but we have people on standby. Thank you. Councilmember No Helani U Hodges. Excuse. Council Member Shane Senenti. And Council Chair Alice Lee. Aloha and happy new year, everyone. Chair, you have eight members present, one excused. A quorum is present to conduct the business of the county council. For the record, I'm the county clerk, Moana Ludi. Also present with me next to me is the Deputy County Clerk, Rochelle Thompson. Present from my office and the legislative division staff is Joyce Murashike, Del Yoshida and Arthur Shiyama. Assisting the council with maintaining order and decorum is Council Ambassador Ryan Martins. Joining the meeting from the Office of Council Services is Director David Rotz, and legislative attorney Megan Moniz. And from the Department of the Corporation Council is Deputy Corporation Council Caleb. And they will be few. And of course I have names for them. What actually my father is his name is Angel, Angelo Lee. He is mother, I told you is from Spain. So he had the Spanish name of Angel. But I had my own angels too. I had Frank and Ernest and Prudence. So I had them on my shoulder. I still have them on my shoulder.

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