150-acre land swap on Maui proposed

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui Bureau

WAILUKU — Maui County is considering a proposed 150-acre land swap with Haleakala Ranch with an eye toward creating a South Maui regional park.

The County Council has sent to committee the proposal suggested by James "Kimo" Apana in one of his last actions as Maui mayor.

In a letter to the council, Apana informed council members about talks with Willard "Buzz" Stluka, president and CEO of Haleakala Ranch, regarding an acre-for-acre land swap for properties in Kihei. The letter was dated Dec. 30, three days before Alan Arakawa was sworn in as mayor.

Under the proposal, the county would give up 150 acres it acquired in a 1994 purchase arranged by former Mayor Linda Lingle.

The county bought the land for $2.1 million with the intention of developing a regional park in South Maui, Apana said, but engineering studies indicates the cost of infrastructure for the site would be roughly $19 million.

In exchange for the 150 acres, Haleakala Ranch would give the county 110 acres of ranch land along the mauka side of Pi'ilani Highway, as well as 40 acres that could be used for a north-south traffic corridor through Kihei.

Apana said the corridor could help alleviate traffic congestion facing South Maui.

The new properties would cost substantially less to develop and be better located for a regional park, Apana said. The new site would also have room for other facilities, including a Kihei police station, a South Maui civic center and other community services, he said.