Maui County Council Committee Meeting on Shoreline Erosion and Sea Level Rise - June 3, 2026

The Disaster Recovery, International Affairs, and Planning Committee of the Maui County Council met on June 3, 2026, at 12:30 PM HST to discuss DRIP 9.11, focusing on shoreline erosion impacts on coastal properties and sea level rise. The meeting featured presentations by Dr. Chip Fletcher (Dean, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii at Manoa) and Tara Owens (Coastal Processes and Hazards Specialist, University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program). The committee heard public testimony and engaged in extensive discussion about policy options for mitigating climate change effects on coastal properties.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kai Nashiki urged the council to consider whether encouraging local families to invest life savings in coastal hazard areas is wise, and cautioned against inflating property values for offshore investors. He highlighted the Hawaii Coastal Resilience Acquisition and Lease Back program (a state legislative bill) that could allow acquisition of shoreline properties for workforce housing with hazard-adjusted values. He also called for strong funding guardrails to prevent county adaptation funds from being used to entrench development in hazard zones.
• Christian Balagso (Upcountry resident) emphasized the interconnectedness of the ahupuaʻa system, stating "what affects one affects us all." He invoked the Titanic analogy, saying the community is in an emergency situation and must act immediately.
• Kaya Pooninko Hawaiiana (representative of Ko Kohavaipaina) called for restoring native Hawaiians to their ancestral lands, arguing that those who hold original title know how to care for the land. They demanded that the council restore the "true land title holders" and follow Hawaiian Kingdom law.

Discussion Items

• Dr. Chip Fletcher presented a detailed overview of sea level rise science, including:
  • Global warming is accelerating, with the rate of surface temperature rise increasing.
  • Sea level rise rate has doubled over the last 30 years (from 2 mm/year to over 4 mm/year).
  • Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are melting irreversibly; Thwaites Glacier has more than doubled its flow rate.
  • Hawaii will experience 15-20% more sea level rise than the global mean due to gravitational and land motion effects.
  • Multiple types of flooding were explained: marine (passive) flooding, wave-driven flooding (even seasonal swell becomes destructive with sea level rise), shoreline erosion (which also exposes cesspools), drainage failure (gravity-based drainage will be lost with 2 feet of sea level rise), groundwater inundation (saltwater rising into infrastructure), and compound flooding (rain + high tide).
• Tara Owens presented a local perspective on Maui, showing:
  • Photographs of shoreline erosion, road undermining, and building collapses (e.g., a condominium in North Kihei that collapsed after repeated erosion and flooding events).
  • Examples of managed retreat and dune restoration success stories at Kapalua Bay (where a turtle nested after seawall removal) and Baldwin Beach.
  • The Mantukuji Mission, a 100+ year old historic and culturally significant structure, is threatened by erosion despite temporary sandbag protection, which is causing flanking erosion.
  • The county has made progress: several departments have completed vulnerability assessments, community plans incorporate sea level rise data, shoreline setback rules were updated in 2024 to include erosion projections, and a managed retreat revolving fund was created.
  • However, Maui still uses a planning target of 3.2 feet of sea level rise, while the intermediate scenario is now projected at 4 feet. Updated mapping for Maui is not yet available due to loss of federal funding.
• Councilmember Cook asked about offshore solutions (e.g., artificial reefs) to mitigate storm surge. Dr. Fletcher noted they create an "energy shadow" that traps sand, but sand is a zero-sum game—taking sand from one area harms another. Ms. Owens added that permitting for erosion mitigation artificial reefs would be very difficult in Hawaii.
• Councilmember Sugimura raised the Kahana Bay community facilities district (CFD) issue: the county would own groins and would be liable for maintenance, while the state would own the infrastructure in the ocean. Dr. Fletcher recommended a removal bond as a management tool. Ms. Owens noted that a state bill passed in 2026 allowing property owners to develop "adaptation plans" for BLNR review, but it's ambiguous and doesn't require approval.
• Councilmember Rollins Fernandes questioned whether the county should guarantee shoreline access in perpetuity, stating "individual owners must take responsibility for business decisions made building on the shoreline." She also asked about restoring Uhu (parrotfish) to increase sand production. Dr. Fletcher explained that beach sand is centuries to millennia old; modern sand production is too slow to build beaches on human time scales.
• Councilmember Gabe Johnson asked about funding a coastal viewer for Maui County similar to the Waikiki model. Dr. Fletcher estimated it would take 2-3 years and cost about $1 million per year.
• Councilmember Johnson also inquired about immediate actions for the coming El Niño season. Recommendations included clearing drainage ways, reducing fuel loads on fallow lands, and retiring offshore windows and doors to reduce building loss in high winds.
• Councilmember Senensi asked about the stormwater drainage system in Kahului (Panaha Pond) compared to the Ala Wai Canal on Oahu. Dr. Fletcher confirmed that both face similar issues with high sea levels. He cited Miami Beach's use of pumps, raised roads, and landscaped areas to direct water to pumps as a management model.
• Councilmember Nohe Hodgings discussed the Molokai wharf road where culverts were filled in, causing sand to accumulate on one side and erode the other. She questioned why the road isn't designed as a causeway to allow natural water and sand movement. Ms. Owens noted that the realignment of Honoapiʻilani Highway will include causeway segments over wetlands.
• Councilmember Rawlins-Fernandez asked about purchasing wetlands in North Kihei to improve drainage. Ms. Owens confirmed that a working group (including MEMA, Public Works, and community members) is working on a grant proposal to turn an undeveloped parcel into a "stormwater management park" and to slow water from the upper watershed.
• Councilmember Palten asked about assessing oceanfront properties at lower values given future liability. The planning director noted that this is a broader conversation involving multiple departments, but for Lahaina rebuilds, hold-harmless and unilateral agreements are being required.

Key Outcomes

• The committee received extensive expert testimony and discussion on coastal hazards, sea level rise, and potential policy responses.
• No formal votes or decisions were taken on DRIP 9.11; the item was deferred.
• The chair (Councilmember Palten) summarized key takeaways for the council: clear drainage ways, reduce fuel loads, and retrofit homes in preparation for El Niño.
• Several council members expressed a need for a regional approach to shoreline management, with policies tailored to specific community plan areas rather than island-wide rules.
• It was acknowledged that Maui County needs updated sea level rise mapping (for the 4-foot intermediate scenario) and that this would require substantial funding ($1 million/year for 2-3 years).
• The committee concluded that managing sea level rise will require collaboration among all decision-makers, community members, and experts.