Posted at 6:17 p.m., Sunday, June 24, 2007
Neighbors object to Maui church's expansion
By CLAUDINE SAN NICOLAS, Maui News
WAILUKU, Maui — Concerns about traffic, lighting, and construction dust and noise have been raised in response to an application by the Kihei Baptist Chapel to erect a new church near the intersection of South Kihei and Welakahao roads.
The proposed project is on Tuesday's agenda of the Maui Planning Commission. The panel will convene at 9 a.m. in the Planning Department Conference Room at the Kalana Pakui Building on South High Street.
Kihei Baptist Chapel is seeking county special use and special management area permits to build a 11,685-square-foot chapel and other improvements, including more parking, drainage and landscaping on the church property.
The church also wants a change in zoning from R-2 residential to public/quasi-public.
The church already has a 3,339-square-foot preschool, and its chapel has about 1,655 square feet of space. With construction of the new building, the church plans to use the old chapel for a Sunday school classroom. Kihei Baptist officials plan for the preschool to either continue as it is or be somewhat expanded, depending on demand.
A staff report on Kihei Baptist's application with the Maui Planning Department states that neighbors objected to the construction of a new building only 120 feet away. They also raised concerns about construction noise and dust and nighttime lighting on the property.
All four issues were addressed by Kihei Baptist representatives, who said they would use "best management practices" in addressing the concerns.
After meeting with the Kihei Community Association's Planning and Development Committee, church representatives agreed to provide a wider grassy area with a few overflow parking stalls near South Kihei Road rather than having pavement up to the county right of way.
The Planning Department staff has recommended approval of the chapel's application.
In addition to the standard conditions attached to such permits, the department recommends that Sunday-morning traffic in and out of the church be limited to right turns, with drivers directed to do so with signs.
To reduce early-morning noise, the department also wants the first hour of work during the project's construction — from 7 to 8 a.m. — to be spent on equipment maintenance, set-up for the day and other relatively quiet activities. Also, work should end no later than 6 p.m.
Another condition would require that low-level lighting be used on the building and within landscaped areas, and that lights in the parking lot be fully shielded.
For more Maui news, visit The Maui News.
