Housing Land Use Committee Meeting – May 20, 2026

The Housing and Land Use Committee of the Maui County Council met on May 20, 2026, from 9:05 a.m. to approximately 12:20 p.m. to consider three agenda items: Resolution 26-84 (referring the EC Paia Town community plan amendment and zoning change to the Maui Planning Commission), Resolution 26-68 (requiring notice to lessees before agricultural subdivisions), and Bill 78 (accessory dwelling units), which was deferred. The committee heard extensive public testimony and debated the merits of the two resolutions before voting. The meeting was chaired by Councilmember Nohelani Uuu Hodgins.

Public Comments & Testimony

Resolution 26-84 (EC Paia Town Project)

• Francina Rona (Auntie Mopsy) – Expressed support for smart growth in Paia, but stated she will hold the developers accountable throughout the approval process. She noted she has lived in the area for 26 years and wants local families to be able to stay.
• Dano Salas – Voiced strong support for the project, citing his long experience in Maui housing and the need for workforce housing, medical facilities, and recreational fields. He noted the developer, Sam Herbot, has said he is a steward of the land.
• April Soretsky – Strongly opposed the resolution, arguing the project would destroy Paia's small-town character. She expressed concern that off-island developers only care about profit and that the scale is inconsistent with preserving historic character.
• Andrea Rogers – Opposed the project, stating the local community in Lower Paia does not support it. She urged keeping the 85-acre parcel in agriculture for food security. She warned that doubling Paia could damage Paia Bay and Baldwin Beach and cited the loss of Lahaina as a reason to proceed cautiously.
• Panay Miyatoga – Testified in support as a representative of property engineers and as a descendant of Paia families. He argued the project is consistent with the Maui Island Plan's designation for planned growth and addresses housing, healthcare, and child care needs.
• Lauren Bickley – Opposed the land use redesignation, noting she lives on Baldwin Avenue and was not informed until last week. She asked for a comprehensive update of the Paia-Haiku Community Plan before moving forward on piecemeal changes.
• Lahalahi Iwohi – Supported the project as a Maui resident and a member of the project team. She stressed that local families have been forced to move away and that the project will help future generations afford to live on Maui.
• Renee S. – Opposed the project as written, citing concerns about high rents in new strip malls harming local businesses and the lack of community notice.
• K Apuni Kohawaii Pai Aina – Questioned the legality of the land title, asserting that the property is on Royal Patent lands and should not be developed without addressing Hawaiian land claims.
• Junior Nakoa – Expressed frustration that the community was not adequately informed. He advocated for more community liaison work and for projects to prioritize local residents over market-rate housing.
• Lori Nielsen – Asked the committee to require additional community meetings in Paia before advancing the project. She noted the exhaustion of Maui residents after the Lahaina fires and the need for transparency.
• Christopher Salem – Supported more local input and criticized the county for labeling concerned citizens as litigants.
• Margaret Shepherd – Opposed the project, fearing it would change the genre of Paia and lead to strip malls and a loss of historic character.
• Albert Perez (Maui Tomorrow Foundation) – Asked for a deferral to allow the state Land Use Commission to review the project first, noting the lack of economic and cultural analysis.

Resolution 26-68 (Agricultural Subdivision Notice)

• Alan Lloyd – Testified in support, emphasizing that farmers need notification to protect their investments. He noted that Maui Gold Pineapple was not informed of a planned subdivision on land they lease.
• No other testimony was offered on this item.

Bill 78 (Accessory Dwelling Units)

• Alan Lloyd – Testified in support of changing the language from "at least two accessory dwelling units" to "up to two accessory dwelling units" to align with state law. He also asked about rent ceilings and environmental review.

Discussion Items

Resolution 26-84 – EC Paia Town Project

• The project team (Cal Chip Chase, Keola Whitaker, Matt Nakamoto) presented a detailed plan for a 40-acre mixed-use community consistent with the Maui Island Plan's Paia Expansion Area. The plan includes approximately 170 residential units (120 single-family, 50 multifamily), a 200-stall public parking lot, commercial uses (grocery, gym, medical clinic, day care, heritage hall), and a relocated bypass with a traffic signal. The applicant initially proposed 100 income-restricted units but clarified that the actual count is at least 34 workforce rental units (in perpetuity) plus 16 for-sale gap group units for households earning 120%-220% of AMI.
• Planning Director Jackie Takakura noted that a council-initiated project bypasses some environmental review requirements and recommended the committee conduct thorough analysis. She also suggested taking a holistic view of Paia's development.
• Committee members questioned the applicant about parking fees, water/sewer (private system with options), road widening costs (developer-funded), and commitment to local businesses. The applicant agreed to a 30-foot height limit for B2 zoning, to keep the Baldwin Avenue storefronts consistent with Paia's character, and to offer free parking and laundry facilities for workforce housing residents.
• Chair Hodgins expressed that her generational family supports the project to allow their children to live in Paia. Member Cook noted that Paia has changed many times historically.
• Amendments adopted: (1) add heritage hall to the description of uses; (2) correct income-restricted unit count to 34 workforce (rental, perpetuity) plus 16 gap group; (3) limit B2 height to 30 feet; (4) require free parking and laundry facilities for workforce housing.
• The committee voted 7-0 to recommend adoption of Resolution 26-84 as amended, referring it to the Maui Planning Commission.

Resolution 26-68 – Agricultural Subdivision Notice

• Councilmember Palten explained that the bill arose because Maui Gold Pineapple was not notified that their leased land was being subdivided. The bill would require a subdivider of agricultural land to provide notice to lessees before filing subdivision permits.
• Planning Director Takakura raised questions about purpose, impact, and administration, noting that subdivisions are handled by the Department of Public Works, which was not present.
• Members debated the 10-business-day notice timeline and whether notification should be before filing the application. The committee added a friendly amendment to require notice by certified mail.
• The committee voted 5-2 to recommend adoption (Chair Lee and Vice Chair Batanga opposed).

Bill 78 – Accessory Dwelling Units

• The committee deferred this item to the June 3, 2026 meeting to allow the Department of Housing to provide written comments. The planning commission's report had just been distributed.

Key Outcomes

• Resolution 26-84 (EC Paia Town) – Adopted as amended (7-0) and referred to the Maui Planning Commission for further hearings and community input. The applicant committed to 34 workforce rental units in perpetuity (with free parking and laundry), 16 gap group units, and a 30-foot height limit on B2 commercial.
• Resolution 26-68 (Agricultural Subdivision Notice) – Adopted as amended (5-2) and referred to the Maui, Molokai, and Lanai Planning Commissions. The bill will be revised to include certified mail notice and further input from the Department of Public Works.
• Bill 78 (Accessory Dwelling Units) – Deferred to June 3, 2026. The committee requested written comments from the Department of Housing and a presentation from the Department of Planning.
• Written testimony on all items will continue to be accepted.