Makena hearing draws hundreds
| • | Map: Proposed Makena development |
By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau
KIHEI, Maui — Hundreds of people turned out for a public hearing here yesterday as the Maui County Council began weighing a zoning request that would allow the development of hundreds of acres in Makena for luxury housing and visitor accommodations.
The council is expected to reconvene at 2 p.m. today after listening to dozens of speakers during morning, afternoon and evening sessions at the Kihei Community Center.
At issue is the Makena Resort's 20-year plan to add some 200 acres of condominiums and apartments around the Makena North and South golf courses, and to designate 28 acres for a time-share project south of the company's Maui Prince Hotel.
The proposal would allow construction of 89 time-share units and 1,500 mostly condominium units, as well as change the zoning of 600 acres to conform with the area's community plan.
Fueled by weeks of newspaper and radio ads, both for and against the project, the controversy drew a large audience armed with signs, wearing buttons, reciting Hawaiian chants and applauding for statements supporting their viewpoints.
By midday, almost 50 people had spoken. Opponents outnumbered supporters by about a 2-1 margin.
Hannah Bernard was among those who pleaded with council members to spare the Makena area from further development.
Bernard, a marine biologist, said she feared the zone change could open the door to muddy runoff, the degradation of nearshore waters and habitat loss for sea turtles and other marine animals.
"Uncontrolled growth that kills its host is called a cancer. Please do not let the uncontrolled growth that development is kill Maui," she said to applause.
But Donald Poepoe Sr. joined those on the other side of the issue.
"There is room enough in Makena for development in the right way," declared Poepoe, wearing a "Makena, Yes" button.
The hearing follows weeks of high-profile campaigning by both the Makena Resort and development foes. Even the Maui Chamber of Commerce weighed in with newspaper ads asking council members to honor previous water commitments to the company and urging people to testify and to not let "just 10 or 15 people who live here make your decisions for you."
Two years ago, opponents waved signs of protest along the highway and the resort's plan was debated at length before stalling over Maui County Council quorum issues and a shortage of votes.
This time, opponents gathered petitions, held a rally, staged a Makena video contest and ran newspaper ads to counter full-page ads by the resort.
Opponents say the development plans are too large for an area lacking adequate water and roads. They say the proposal would compromise the region's Native Hawaiian cultural artifacts, undermine its coastal waters, threaten beach access and add even more traffic to Kihei's busy streets.
The resort and its supporters say that Maui's leaders set aside the Makena area for resort development decades ago. The resort, they say, has built millions of dollars worth of infrastructure to support expansion, and it should not be punished for waiting until now to go forward with its plans.
Reach Timothy Hurley at thurley@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 244-4880.
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