Criticism boiled up as the project prepares to seek land use approvals this summer from the Maui County Council. Monday's forum was billed as a venue to cover project plans by both Honua'ula, also known as Wailea 670, and Makena Resort, but discussions focused on Honua'ula, with calls to cut back the project or to block it completely.

By the end of the evening, the event's coordinators – Maui Tomorrow Foundation and SaveMakena.org – had mobilized the nearly 200 people in attendance to put their views in writing about the proposed development so that they could be delivered to the County Council.

Panelists on Monday night included attorney Isaac Moriwake, a water issues specialist with the Earthjustice environmental law firm; Ed Lindsey, president of Maui Cultural Lands; community activist Buck Joiner; "green" developer Zachary Franks; Stan Franco of Housing for the Local Person; and Lee Altenberg, a biologist.

Franks said that unless Maui County purchases Honua'ula's 670 acres, the land is bound to be developed.

"I know this is going to be developed. It's almost inevitable," Franks said, suggesting the proposed 1,400 housing units be reduced to 100 estates and 100 affordable homes and then "call it a day."

In response to moderator Diane Shepherd's question, Lindsey said more lands need to be preserved, not developed, in South Maui.

"Something we all need to join together to stop. Golf courses and archaeological sites don't mix," Lindsey said to a crowd that applauded him.

The crowd came to a hush as Lindsey, a Native Hawaiian who has tried to fight off similar developments in West Maui, talked about the effects such projects have on the lands and on people here. "I cry. I cry for what is happening to our Hawaiian people here. It's a crime."

Listed on the Kihei-Makena Community Plan as Project District 9 (Maui Wailea 670), the project mauka of the Wailea Resort would involve development of up to 1,400 housing units (700 market-priced and possibly as many as 700 affordables) and an 18-hole private golf course. The project requires the council to approve a plan that modifies the project district plan that originally had two 18-hole golf courses.

Concerns over water supply, traffic, deterioration of cultural resources and not enough affordable housing surfaced as panelists invited by the forum's sponsors each spoke up and encouraged others to do the same.

Charlie Jencks, a representative for Honua'ula, attended the forum but was not asked to speak, even when a written question posed to the panel apparently asked for answers from him.

"You'll have to ask Charlie yourself," Shepherd said.

Chandrika McLaughlin, a coordinator of the public forum, said the purpose of the event was "to make sure all viewpoints" were represented.

"The developer has been speaking up, and we feel like an alternative viewpoint is needed," she said.

Altenberg, a Kihei resident and associate professor of information and computer sciences for the University of Hawaii at Manoa, called on Honua'ula to establish a 110-acre nature preserve within its proposed development.

Altenberg shared results from a botanical survey he took of the Honua'ula property some three years ago, showing photographs of wiliwili trees and other native Hawaiian plants.

He said Honua'ula's properties are among the largest areas in South Maui that currently have thriving wiliwili trees, some of them hundreds of years old, and other native Hawaiian plants. The majority of the wiliwili trees in South Maui have been destroyed by development, according to Altenberg.

A native plant found within Honua'ula, awikiwiki (Canavalia pubescens), is a prime candidate for listing as an endangered species, according to Altenberg.

Another rare plant, nehe (Lipochaeta rockii), is currently thriving in only two other places on Maui, Altenberg said.

In response to a question from Shepherd, Altenberg said the native plants could not thrive if only placed in a 6-acre reserve, which he said was suggested by the developers.

The wiliwili trees would also not do well, unless the entire 110 acres they sit on were put into a reserve.

"With 95 percent of the ecosystem gone, we shouldn't be destroying any more of it, especially to put in a golf course," Altenberg said.

He said a nature reserve within Honua'ula "would be a tremendous asset" and could be used to educate residents and showcase the island's native plants. It would be "Hawaiian nature in action," Altenberg said.

One audience member asked why so many wiliwili trees have been allowed to be destroyed and now the ones on Honua'ula lands are being singled out for a nature reserve.

"A lot of mistakes have been made in the past," Altenberg said, adding he wasn't around when other developments were approved without attention to preserving wiliwili trees and other native Hawaiian plants.

Another audience question posed to Moriwake asked if water from the Iao aquifer were already tapped out as he stated, then why was any development going forward.

"It seems like a simple question with a simple answer, yet we haven't found it, an answer," Moriwake said.

Honua'ula expects to develop a private water system with two wells in place and another two being drilled. Moriwake opposes private water systems, saying there would be questions whether a private system is sustainable and citing the Hawaii Constitution in calling water a public trust that should not be controlled by private developments.

"Water belongs to everybody," he said.

Both McLaughlin and Maui Tomorrow Vice President Judith Michaels were happy about the large turnout on Monday night.

"I think this is just the beginning," Michaels said.

She said Maui Tomorrow will provide training on methods for lobbying county officials and the community on the issues.

"Maui Tomorrow has fielded lawsuits in the past and really we want that to be our last option. Our major role now will be to educate the public about issues," Michaels said.

In addition to issuing testimonial cards about the Honua'ula project, the forum sponsors collected signatures for a petition calling for a "planning strategy that puts Maui residents' needs first, before those of offshore investors."

Franco, a member of the Maui General Plan Advisory Committee, urged residents to speak out at upcoming hearings including a GPAC meeting set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Kihei Elementary School cafeteria. The meeting will give people a chance to comment on a the 2030 Draft Countywide Policy Plan.