Maui nears deal for 69-acre Kihei park

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

WAILUKU, Maui — Mayor James "Kimo'' Apana announced yesterday that he has secured an option to buy up to 69 acres of land in Kihei for a regional park.

In a letter to the Maui County Council, Apana said the land would cost $2.4 million, which is nearly four times less than the $8.3 million asking price. He added that this is a one-time offer that must close by July 1.

Apana executive assistant Brian Miskae said the proposed parkland is part of a 187-acre parcel originally planned for residential development by Baldwin-Malama, a partnership between Haleakala Ranch and Malama Pacific Corp., a Hawaiian Electric Industries subsidiary.

The land was purchased by Goodfellow Brothers and developer Everett Dowling, who have been selling off portions of it for commercial and residential projects.

If the 69 acres are sold to the county, only 14 acres of the original parcel would remain, Miskae said.

He said the vacant land being offered to the county was earmarked for development of 587 housing units.

Apana asked the council to include the necessary money in the proposed budget for fiscal 2001-02. The council is scheduled to vote on the budget's first reading Monday.

The land, makai of Pi'ilani Highway and adjacent to Lokelani Intermediate School, would be ideal for a regional park, said the mayor.

It has direct access to recycled wastewater for irrigation and is big enough for baseball, softball and soccer fields.

He said it could also be home to a civic center and police station.

The council and the mayor already had agreed to a budget item that would pay for a study to look for a site for the Kihei regional park.