WAILUKU — Even with nearly half of the people signed up to speak leaving before their turn came up, the Maui County Council went into overtime on Tuesday night on a lengthy agenda that included project district zoning for the Honua'ula development, The Maui News reported.

Council members heard more than six hours of testimony, including Kihei residents concerned about the project's impact on traffic; environmentalists warning that it would destroy rare native plants; and union leaders saying Honua'ula would provide critical long-term jobs.

There were also speakers contesting proposed appointments to county boards and commissions, and a discussion of key points of the state Sunshine Law by Wailuku attorney Lance Collins — who has filed a suit over the council Land Use Committee's procedures for its continuing review of the Honua'ula bills.

As with all public meetings held by government bodies in Hawaii, Tuesday's council meeting accommodated anyone in the public who wished to speak on a subject on the council's agenda.

For the meeting that convened at 9 a.m., there were 60 witnesses signed in, most planning to speak on Bills 21 and 22 granting conditional project district zoning for the 670-acre property in South Maui designated as Project District 9 (Wailea 670). The two bills were scheduled for second and final reading by the council after passing on first reading on a 6-3 vote on Feb. 14 — after the Feb. 8 meeting was recessed twice.

At Tuesday's session, just over 30 of the witnesses signed up actually spoke before the council members took up the rest of the agenda at 4 p.m. After a dinner recess, the meeting resumed at 7:30 p.m. and was still going late Tuesday night.

On the Honua'ula bills, the council members also were debating several proposed amendments that were opposed by the representative for Honua'ula Partners LLC, former county Pubic Works Director Charlie Jencks.

Jencks said proposed amendments on compliance with federal laws were redundant and could lead to delays, if the company is required to prove full compliance when it applies for permits.

"There is already a condition for the Fish and Wildlife Service and the DLNR to do additional surveys of the property. The amendment is a redundant condition," he said.

Jencks also attempted to show there is broad support for the project, asking everyone in the chambers who supported it to stand up — even if they were not planning to speak.

Much of the testimony was in opposition.

Kihei taxi owner Kenny Barr said traffic in South Maui was already bad and would be made worse by allowing further development even with the conditions for Honua'ula Partners to provide major highway upgrades. The conditions include a requirement for the development group to widen the Piilani Highway from Kilohana Drive through the Wailea area to four lanes.

"It's just going to add more cars to the area, more people to the area," Barr said.

Another critic charged that runoff from the development area will affect the ocean.

"Any large development in Wailea is naturally going to affect the quality of water, the reefs, and increase traffic," said Michael Reed Gach.

He didn't agree the project would generate jobs.

"This huge project would recruit Mainland workers. That's not going to support Maui workers," he said.

Collins said the project should be sent back to the Planning Commission for a new environmental assessment, because it had been changed significantly since the original study.

"These bills — if no environmental assessment is done — will be voided by a court," he said.

"This is a time to say 'no,'" said Gene Weaver, an opponent who questioned whether council members represent the will of the public.

"You're not out there on the beach … seeing and feeling the energy of the aina," he said.

But Olive Silva of Na Kupuna O Maui supported the project, saying it would provide affordable housing and had worked with her group to identify and preserve cultural sites.

"Na Kupuna has been working hard to help ensure it's pono," she said.

Perry Artates of the Hawaii Operating Engineers said he was backing Honua'ula because the developer had pledged to use union labor. He urged the council to "do what is right."

"The families here who represent our trades really rely on this project," he said.

Bill Kamai of the Hawaii Carpenter's Union said one reason the project was attractive was because of its long build-out schedule that could keep construction going for decades.

"A project of this size is what sustains us in the slow times," he said.

When questioned by Council Member Michelle Anderson whether he would support adding a condition to the project requiring the developers to use union labor, Kamai said, "no."

He said no more conditions should be added to the project, saying that Jencks had been meeting with construction workers to assure them they will have opportunities.

"His word is good enough for me," he said.

Jencks also noted to the council that an investor in Honua'ula Partners is Maui contractor Steve Goodfellow, whose company uses union labor.

Peter Iriarte, a field representative for the Hawaii Mason's Union, called Honua'ula a "good, viable project" that would generate jobs and stimulate the economy.

"It's projects like this that keep us going forward," he said.

But Kihei carpenter Richard Owen dismissed the argument that the project was needed to provide jobs, noting Maui has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.

"There are so many jobs here, people are coming from the Mainland in droves," he said.

Angie Hofmann noted that thousands of housing units are already planned or under construction on Maui.

"My generation wants to know: Why can't we have good planning and good jobs?" she asked.

"You can come up with ways to create jobs that are sustainable," added teacher David Atias.

He said the project shouldn't be discussed because its application isn't complete.

"Maybe there's a legal loophole, but there isn't a moral one," he said.