That could lead to groundbreaking for infrastructure by 2009 and construction on the first of 940 dwellings by 2010.

Howard Hanzawa, vice president of Kaanapali Land, said Wednesday that the company is planning and hoping to get an arrangement that will give preference to buyers who are already working in West Maui.

"We would like to stipulate that regional preferences will be given to buyers," he said. No such preference has ever been successfully attached to an affordable project in Hawaii, but Hanzawa said Kaanapali Land is consulting with people who have done it on the Mainland.

State and county officials are supportive, he said, although none has been willing to declare it will meet constitutional tests.

Hanzawa said a preference may pass as legal as long as the time requirement is not "unreasonably" long — not years.

About 150 people attended an annual community meeting, update, dinner and pep rally at Lahaina Civic Center.

Hanzawa briefed the crowd on changes to the plans since last year, and seven people who have been active in the community planning group gave pep talks.

Henry "Bruno" Ariyoshi, the retired principal of Lahainaluna High School, said, "I hope you will get behind . . . this most wonderful project."

Amfac/JMB first proposed 1,300 units in Pu'ukoli'i Village Mauka 14 years ago. It was on 241 acres mauka of the proposed route of the Lahaina bypass.

Although that project was on a fast track called Act 15, one condition was that the bypass had to be open first. It still isn't.

Much has happened since, including the closure of Pioneer Mill Co., which built the original Puukolii (slightly north of the present site) for its workers. In territorial days, it had 3,000 residents and was the largest plantation camp in the islands.

Auntie Patty Nishiyama, who grew up there, recalled that it had a school, three churches and ditches where the children swam.

Ed Lindsey, who also grew up there, recalled that it was a real community, where on New Year's Eve everyone would go from house to house, eating Filipino food at one, Japanese at another and so on. Even, in those days, whale.

He invited anyone to go up and see what is being uncovered by volunteers who have been restoring the land with native plants and uncovering archaeological sites.

The group meets at 9 a.m. every Saturday at the Puukolii train station.

"Puukolii is coming again. It is coming as a community," he said.

Some changes have been made in the overall planning map since last year.

The site is split by parks, and Lindsey and his sister Roselle Bailey proposed that a strip of commercial land be installed overlooking one side of the park. The inspiration was the "Quad" at Lanai City.

Hanzawa noted that the consultant wasn't familiar with the Quad and flew over to check it out.

There was some opposition to commercial and park together in the community planning group, but there was a vote and the Bailey-Lindsey proposal carried the day.

Buck Buchanan, who was one of those in opposition, said that was a big difference from the days when he and Dave Chenoweth intervened in the development of North Beach in Kaanapali.

"The fight with North Beach led the company to say it would like to have local people work with us on the future," Buchanan said. "Now we're not having to intervene with the company. We're working with the company and they are listening."

So, he urged: "Give us some support."

Never a discouraging word was heard all night, but every other large proposal for housing in West Maui has faced opposition, often on the grounds of traffic congestion.

Pu'ukoli'i Village Mauka was part of a much larger project, Kaanapali 2020, which was hived off because of the demand for affordable housing. As a separate project, Pu'ukoli'i might start earlier than Kaanapali 2020, which is makai.

Nothing was reported Wednesday about Kaanapali 2020.

Pu'ukoli'i Village Mauka includes a mix of single- and multifamily housing, including 6 acres for Hale Mahaolu to build senior housing.

Also, there are 18 acres for an intermediate school, a mixed commercial-residential section, a community center and space for community services, as well as active and passive parks.

The site is at an elevation of 500 to 600 feet, and although the land is steep both above and below, the village site is moderately sloped – generally 5 percent to 6 percent.

That, Hanzawa said, means it could be walkable.

Roy Katsuda, executive director of Hale Mahaolu, said 6 acres would be enough for 100 units of "aging in place" senior housing. It might also allow a little room for "middle-class senior housing," which he said has been overlooked.

However housing and services (like adult day care) for lower-income seniors will continue to be the focus.

Hanzawa said once construction begins in 2010, it would take six to 10 years to build out most of the planned development.

Harry Eagar can be reached at heagar@mauinews.com.