W. Maui homesteads planned

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

HONOKOWAI, Maui — The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands wants to develop 790 acres in West Maui to create up to 1,000 single-family homesteads, a shopping center, a light-industrial area and agricultural lots.

The department yesterday issued a notice of its intention to begin writing an environmental impact statement for the large project, its first in West Maui.

Stewart Matsunaga of DHHL's Land Development Division said the project has been in the planning stages for a year, during which West Maui beneficiaries were allowed to offer their ideas at meetings.

The proposed site is bisected by Honokowai Gulch, which is owned by Amfac Land Co. and other entities but is not part of the proposed master plan.

The northern half would contain up to 1,000 single-family homesteads for qualified Native Hawaiians who are on the department's Maui waiting list.

The plan includes recreational areas and sites for a community center, health-care clinic and churches.

An 18-acre site would be set aside for possible development of a private school and there's a site for future housing for the elderly.

The plan calls for a 14-acre shopping center near Honoapi'ilani Highway. In addition to offering services to area residents, revenue generated by the retail complex would help pay for DHHL's programs.

The project site south of Honokowai Gulch would be devoted to light-industrial uses and small and large agricultural lots.

The master plan shows a "residential expansion area" at the northern property boundary, between the current boundary and Mahinahina Gulch. This 68-acre area is under cultivation by Maui Land & Pineapple Co., but with the development of homesteads, the area would be cut off from other pineapple operations. So a purchase or land exchange with ML&P could be a possibility, with the expansion accommodating an additional 234 residential homestead lots.

The deadline for public comment is Nov. 22. Send comments to the state at 235 S. Beretania St.iSuite 702, Honolulu, HI 96813, or to consultant Kimura International Inc., 1600 Kapi'olani Blvd.iSuite 1610, Honolulu, HI 96814.

Reach Timothy Hurley at thurley@honoluluadvertiser.com