Maui Tomorrow and allies have successfully called for the state and county to follow our planning laws rather than fast track a huge new commercial development in South Maui. Two “mega malls” proposed for an 88 acre site, approved in 1995 for a low impact light industrial park, have been reworked.
A review of the project’s first Environmental Impact Statement in 20 years still leaves many questions about impacts on existing business districts, traffic, drainage, water supply, preservation of historic sites, and whether there is a proven need for the project.
Maui Tomorrow hosted a popular series of historical presentations over the last year to highlight just what is at risk. We’ll return to the state Land Use Commission in the months ahead to ask that the project follow the law and seek a Community Plan Amendment. We also ask that alternative project designs be considered, with fewer impacts and more community benefits.