March 3, 2025: ALOHA from the PWA

Please come to a community meeting to discuss the extension of Imi Kala Bridge. The current and proposed bridge extension is located by the Wailuku Post Office that crosses the Iao River and will run along the former cane lands through Piihana farms and end at the Kamaile St Intersection by Wailuku Country Estates just before the Waiehu Terrace Subdivision Entrance off Kahekili Highway.

The public project meeting will be Wednesday, March 5 from 5 pm to 7 pm at the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center located here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/DDVF5UvapSf8yDYJ6

The local public is encouraged to come and voice your concerns and suggestions. More detail provided here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qvP8sat0Ydzj9iJbb2YKg7-KWBn-T84W/view?usp=sharing

Information on Fiber Optic Expansion in our rea is located here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ktNTYYSy2EQbF7HkrRSJUpPJ8DcVDlUx/view?usp=sharing

April 2024: ALOHA from the PWA. In our latest update we’re going to address two different developments:

1: The Hale Mahaolu project of MEO and 2: The Wailuku Residential Community, projected to be approximately 752 residential units. The PWA has been opposing this project now for several years.

Firstly, regarding the MEO property, the county council Housing and Land Use Committee has moved the project forward to the full county council. They have ignored title claims, environmental claims, and sustainable agricultural issues and want to urbanize the land. The Maui County Counsel Planning Committee has also rejected legitimate land swap offers. Therefore, before the Council meeting and voting to move this parcel into urban zoning, the local native Hawaiian Kanaka, who claim title ownership and all residents in the Waiehu-Waihee area will be staging a sign-waving demonstration the day before the council meeting. The PWA will keep you informed, and we recommend you consider creating some signs now and plan on attending this Counsel meeting. In the interim, the PWA highly recommends you contact every council member, especially the ones that are voting for development, and tell them that you're a resident of the area and why you are opposed to urbanizing this parcel.     https://www.mauicounty.us/councilmembers/

Second, regarding The Wailuku Residential Community, a 752-unit development, that was previously being developed by the Genova Corporation and that which the PWA filed a complaint against  the developer and the county of Maui, this parcel was sold last July 2023. The parcel is now owned by DHHL, the department of Hawaiian Homelands who is planning on using local developer, Dowling Company to put in approximately 400 homes. This project is very much like the previously proposed development of Sterling Kim that was attempted in 2007.

Because DHHL will be using the original FEA (Final Environmental Assessment) that developer Genova conducted, the PWA’s complaint demanding a full EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) remains intact and it is currently in the appeals process. Legal briefs are being filed back and forth and a trial date is to be set later this summer. The informal surveys conducted by PWA continue to show that the community would rather keep that property in AG or low-density AG lots. This is what the PWA will continue to push for. The Dowling Company, who's been involved from the beginning with the DHHL plan, claims they will be conducting community meetings soon.  If that is the case, we highly recommend that everyone who can attend do so with signs or testimony attempting to keep from paving over this highly productive agricultural land.

Therefore, when you contact the Maui council members, we recommend that you clearly state your concerns and state that it is regarding both projects if that is your desire.

Finally, a petition saying the community’s objections to losing prime AG land will be circulated soon. The petition will be conducted over the entire area of Waiehu-Waihee, and if you want to participate in gaining signatures please contact, the PWA via email at pwamaui@gmail.com. Also, please sign the petition when it comes your way. The PWA will provide a link for an online petition to sign when that is available. Thank you for your ongoing interest. If the appeals process becomes long and drawn out, we will be putting together another round of fundraising to finish the appeal.

Thank you for your interest. 

February 2024:

The Maui County Counsel is to meet to approve changing the zoning from Agricultural to Urban for the MEO property located at the makai side counter of Waiehu Beach Road and Kahekili Highway on Friday February 16 @ 9:00 am; The local public is requested to voice your concerns about this project which has legal title issues with Native Hawaiian's who have ownership claims and the land has the same infrastructure issues as the Waiehu Residential Community that PWA is suing the county and developer for. To access the county video conference to provide video testimony, refer to Bill 28 (2024) and go here to download Microsoft Teams to enter the conference:

https://www.mauicounty.us/teams/

or you may provide written email testimony here at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting or no later than 9am Thursday Feb 18, 2024:

county.clerk@mauicounty.us

Documents related to this meeting are located here:

Meeting Notice 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xIAaIidZUdO6KIEWMx7h0kaYWG2EadOt/view?usp=sharing

Bill 28 (2024) 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vyYY0B7A95R1OjEY_O6hYnAMIFGfhG6E/view?usp=drive_link 

July 30, 2023: 

The PWA Maui has filed an appeal seeking a full EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) on the WRC (Waiehu Residential Community) property. 

The public is encouraged to educate themselves about development plans for Waiehu-Waihee and to contact the Mayor’s office and County Council members with their concerns. Link to all County Council Members and the Mayors office can be found at HERE.

The PWA continues to need your donations to finance this appeal. Please consider donating HERE. 

Did you know you can view all the projects being developed in Maui County? 

Click on the Maui County Project Status Viewer and Select "VIEW_MIP_Growth boundaries" in the left side menu to see if projects are exceeding the boundaries as per Maui County General Plan approved in 2010. Contact the state’s Land Use Commission to object to overreach for those projects exceeding the red boundary limit of planned growth.

July 11, 2023: YOUR URGENT HELP NEEDED:

As many of you know, the initial court hearing for a Motion for Summary Judgment ( MSJ ) failed in court.   The window to file an appeal keeping the possibility of conducting a full EIS on the property closes July 18th at 5pm.

Many of the PWA board and supporters have nearly exhausted funding sources to continue the legal battle.   As identified in the last open meeting there are many activities that can continue including public education, contact with public officials, and conservation organizations that may help preserve this prime ag land.  

Maintaining legal pressure on the powers that be to fully address the environmental, logistical, agricultural, and cultural concerns,  has  proven to influence both the developers and the County leaders. The PWA Maui got their attention!

Be advised, this is the final call.

 The PWA will require $30,000 in attorney fees to file the appeal.

If you know of a concerned person who has the means to support these efforts, today is the time to approach them!

Hoping to find a financial solution,

Sincerely, the PWA Maui Board of Directors.

June 29, 2023: YOUR URGENT HELP NEEDED:

The developer has posted their response to the courts finding siding with the developer and the Maui County Counsel. The PWA has less than 7 days to appeal the decision and PAY the PWA attorneys. We need to raise $30,000 NOW to do so. 

An Appeal is MOST LIKELY going to force a full Environmental Impact Statement addressing OUR communities concerns as outlined on this site. PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING as much as you can RIGHT NOW.

April 1, 2023:

Aloha, this is to inform you of this week’s results from the second hearing on March 29, 2023, regarding the PWA’s request for a summary judgment and request for a full EIS (environmental impact statement) to be done for the future development on the mac nut orchards off Kahekili highway, also known as Waiehu Residential Community:

The PWA lost our case in court on March 29th.

The board will be evaluating our options and, in the interim, will be hosting a public board of directors meeting on April 8, 2023, at 4pm. If you wish to attend, we ask that you:

1. RSVP required via reply email, so we can prepare the space for the number of attendees

2. Bring your own beach or another chair to the meeting

Location: 211 Lower Waiehu Beach Road, Wailuku, HI 96793

If you wish to stay informed, please send us your e-mail address and of course, we can use your help of any kind in paying for the attorneys. 

Currently, there is a donor that will match funds up to $10,000 because they believe this project will severely impact the Waiehu and Waihe'e areas. 

Donations can be brought to the board meeting above in check form, can be snail mailed to the treasurer at the address below or submitted via GoFundMe at: https://gofund.me/fe865952

Mail checks made payable to: Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a Inc.

c/o Ms. Diana Kaaihue, Treasurer

1291 Hiahia St

Wailuku, HI 96793

Mahalo for your kokua and support.

Gail Nagasako

President, Waiehu Ahupua’a Inc.

Email: pwamaui@gmail.com

March 20, 2023

A message from VP Bobbie Parr of Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a:

Aloha Members of the Wailuku, Waiehu, Waihee, Maluhia communities and beyond.

The proposed WRC (Wailuku Residential Community Development) is a false flag attempt to skirt infrastructure issues under the 100% affordable housing exemptions. 100% affordable for this project is not only NOT defined but has provisions to waive it shortly after the build out, negating the fast-track exemptions which we the taxpayers will end up paying for.

Even with major roadway improvements, their own assessments claim that the main intersections that already back up will reach “overcapacity” and fail with the proposed 752 homes. There are already approximately 1800 homes now in the impacted area.

The Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a nonprofit (pwamaui.org ) was formed because theinal Environmental Assessment (FEA ) was insulting to anyone who lives in the area. The schools, drainage, environment, roadway, and other important issues were ignored, or their potential solutions will not adequately deal with the problems. In August of 2022 The PWA filed a complaint against the California Developer, Genova, and the DHHC of the County of Maui, demanding that a full Environmental Impact Statement ( EIS ) be conducted so the public and all parties can better address the concerns of not just the PWA board, but hundreds of members of the local community.

To date, the PWA board, and its supporters, your neighbors, have contributed, out of their own pockets, over $22k. Nearly $20K more is needed to get us back to the second court hearing on March 29. Many have contributed more than once, some donating more than $3,000. Please know, besides money, hundreds of hours have gone into this attempt to address these issues first before they glut the area with homes and continue to push the can down the road regarding their infrastructure responsibilities.

The PWA and their supporters have been working on behalf of all of us impacted. Even if you support more growth in the area, it is folly to do so without addressing basic concerns any responsible urban planner would solve before homes go in. 

It’s a simple matter of smart growth vs. dumb growth.

Finally for your consideration, the mac nut orchard currently on the land, not only helps recharge the aquifer below it, but it currently is producing approximately 40 tons per year of a protein food source. That sustainable food source will be bulldozed over and lost forever. Certainly, keeping agriculture on this prime ag land is preferred to asphalt and cement. Housing belongs where infrastructure is a solvable solution. Don’t be misled by the current “emergency’ housing needs to think we should just overload the area. This is not a NIMBY (not in my back-yard ) situation, it is an urban planning issue. A lawsuit was deemed the only way to force more responsible solutions to growth in the area.

Please help with your donations for legal costs. The urgent need is now. If you wish to donate by check, please make it out to “Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a” and send it c/o Diana Kaaihue, 1291 W. Hiahia Place, Wailuku, or go to pwamaui.org for the Go Fund Me Link which is https://gofund.me/fe865952

If a donation is not possible for you at this time, everyone is encouraged to contact all County Council members and/or the mayor and voice your concerns. This is extremely important, and you will be helping the cause. Council members listen to their voting public.

For all 9 members Go to.: http://www.mauicounty.us/councilmembers/

Many thanks, Bobbie Parr, VP PWA Maui

March 8, 2023

Aloha to all who love Maui and especially the Waiehu / Waihe’e area:

The time has come

We need your support in person

this Friday to Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a

The PWA is going to the Honorable Peter Cahill’s court on Friday, March 10, 2023, at 2pm located at: Hoaapili Hale 2145 Main Street, Wailuku

We are taking the folks to court who want to turn our prime ag lands into an urban development in the name-only of “affordable housing.”  If they do as they plan, they will leave the people who can least afford it holding the bag on the problems the developer will not solve.  If we can make them solve those problems, the development won’t be affordable.  Thus, we hope to win our lawsuit and we seek a better use of those prime ag lands.

We are asking for as many in the community who can come to group together outside the courthouse for a demonstration in support of PWA’s request for a full environmental impact statement (EIS) to be completed prior to the approval of this overly large Fast-Tracked project of 752 homes. If this project is approved it can be built without infrastructure (schools, additional new roads, sidewalks, and more) and ignore the community’s environmental and cultural concerns with these prime AG lands, which is now producing a food source by the ton.

Please come wearing RED from 12 Noon to 2pm

All are invited to come into the hallway during the court session as the courtroom itself is just extremely small and won’t accommodate more than 15 persons. If you would like to bring signage, suggested verbiage is as follows:

• Save the Macadamias  

• Save the Mac nuts

• Keep it Ag  ( WRC )

• No growth without Infrastructure

• Save the Aquifer

• NO TO Pave Paradise ( circle with slash )

• Waiehu for Ag

• WRC needs an EIS

• EIS for WRC

• 100 % affordable, Prove it

• Smart growth or no growth

And finally, can you please donate any amount to our legal fund by going to our website at PWAMaui.org; and for those that already contributed, even several times, MAHALO NUI LOA! YOU ARE SO APPRECIATED!

Mahalo for your kokua, support and we look forward to meeting you there!

March 7, 2023 PWA files Response to developer Genova, to include the following:

1. Defendants Violated HEPA Requirements

2. Genova Failed to Disclose Impacts, and DHHC Did Not Consider the Appropriate Factors

3. DHHC (Dept of Housing and Human Concerns) Violated its Constitutional and Fiduciary Obligations

Some Excerpts and download available here: 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LsEP0-wkCq2gugfFl06-EbW8sGNvocl9?usp=sharing

The Project’s market-rate housing phase is one of the Project’s characteristics that required description and assessment in the FEA. HAR § 11-200.1-18(d)(5). The FEA, however, only describes the Project as “100% affordable.” FEA passim. The transition to market-rate housing is hidden behind the opaque reference to Maui County Code Chapter 2.96, which tells the reader that that chapter ensures affordable housing – not that it allows the Project’s units to start selling at market rates within five years. PWA at 000026, -67; -154; -167. Discernment of the transition should not require the skills of an attorney and violates HAR § 11-200.1-1(c).11 See HAR § 11-200.1-1(c)(requiring EA to “convey the required information succinctly in a form easily understood, both by members of the public and by government decision-makers” and be “essentially self-contained, capable of being understood by the reader without the need for undue cross-reference.”) The Court also cannot also rely on Genova’s conclusory assertion that “given the timeframes for the transition” the Project’s impacts “may not even require mitigation” because there is no evidence or analysis of this included in the FEA.12

Genova also misses the point of the importance of considering population impacts. Even if individuals come from across Maui County, the Project will dramatically increase the local population within the Waihee-Waiehu Census Designated Place. Contra

October 7, 2022

Tell the Land Use Commission your thoughts about this "FAST TRACKED" NO INFRASTRUCTURE project: dbedt.luc.web@hawaii.gov or via telephone at 808-587-3822. 

Agricultural lands with CLOUDED title SHOULD STAY in Agriculture! Paving over the BEST AGRICULTURAL LANDS with concrete, poisons, run-off is NOT MALAMA WAIEHU OR MALAMA MAUI. 

Hawaii News Now reported below how local citizens found out about the Land Use Commission's site visit that was published on the LUC website the day before the visit and responded quickly to share their discontent with the lack of community input to the project:

October 6, 2022

The State Land Use Commission came to Waiehu to visit site the Waiehu Residential Community (formerly the mac nut fields off Kahekili Highway). Many members of the local community came to express their discontent with changing the land classification from Agricultural to Urban or Planned Unit Development. To let the Land Use Commission know of your concerns and or thoughts about this large development, please contact them at: dbedt.luc.web@hawaii.gov or via telephone at 808-587-3822. 

Sept 13, 2022

Aloha,

Thank you for your support in our efforts to Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a and special thanks to those who spoke last night at St. Ann’s church which was put together by our county planning department members. A Big Mahalo to Gabe Johnson, a councilman from Lanai, who said he wouldn’t bring this to the council as long as our legal suit was continuing. The momentum is on our side and we need to take advantage of our leverage. 

We need you to help us; please consider:

               *checking the county website regularly for meetings that we should attend (see our webpage for instructions how to locate them)

               *tell your neighbors about PWA so we can all work together

               *email any ideas you have for spreading the word and getting more support

               *donate to the legal fund.  We need to be prepared to take this all the way until the EIS is done, which will halt the project.

We must be aware that we are not NIMBYs (not in my back yarder’s.)  If the infrastructure & environmental problems could be solved, we would be ok with affordable housing here. But the fact is those issues can’t be solved and we need to prove that.  There are other areas on the island without these problems and that’s where the housing should go.

Two points I felt were worth emphasizing from last night.  Sorry, I forget her name, but one woman was telling me what a thriving Hawaiian community once lived and farmed and fished on this land out to Waihe’e and beyond.  We should be focusing on restoring that.

And the woman who spoke about kuleana.  Yes, this is our home, our kuleana and we need to extend this to the entire island and look at it all in context.  Yes, to affordable housing but we need to follow the County Plan or develop another that takes the needs of the people while protecting our most valuable resources:  our land and our water.

Thank you again for your support in this cause.  It is one we can win!

Aloha,

Gail Nagasako

President, Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a

Spread the word and have neighbors sign up to receive emails:

https://bit.ly/3zvINW7

September 2, 2022

For Immediate Release: 

Public Meeting scheduled for Sept. 12, 2022 from 6:30-8:30 pm at St. Ann’s Church in Waihe’e

Contact Gail Nagasako, President PWA: 808-281-1549

Contact Bobbie Parr, Vice President PWA: 808 250-8978

Contact PWA: E-mail: pwamaui@gmail.com

Public page: https://bit.ly/3czU28s

Local Waiehu citizens recently formed a non-profit to combat a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) issued for a newly planned development that would add nearly 50% more homes in the already congested area of Waiehu, Wailuku.

On July 8th, 2022, the County of Maui accepted the “Final Environmental Assessment” for the Wailuku Residential Community (WRC), which will include 752 new homes, to be built in the Waiehu area. A meeting arranged by the County will be held to “present and answer questions about the project” on Sept 12th at St. Ann’s Church in Waihe’e, at 6:30-8:30 pm

On Aug. 7th, 2022, the newly formed non-profit Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a (PWA) filed a complaint against the project developers and the County, demanding a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be performed. The complaint challenges the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) issued by the County, which lets the project go forward without more environmental review. PWA asks, “how can nearly a 50% increase in housing units and increased population in an area with serious infrastructure inadequacies, have no significant impact?“

Gail Nagasako, President of PWA, states:

The Environmental Assessment acknowledges the need for additional infrastructure for the area to swell its population so drastically, yet the vague and ambiguous language in the document and unworkable potential solutions are simply not solutions, they want to ‘kick the can down the road.’ The Environmental Assessment specifically addresses crowded roadways and traffic yet admits potential remedies will only lead to additional degradation of key intersections to failing grades and the term ‘overcapacity’ is used on more than one occasion. Overcapacity is not a ‘Finding of No Significant Impact or FONSI!’ Add to that the questionable sewage, drainage, water, environmental, and school capacity issues, and the FONSI becomes completely inappropriate. This project requires a full EIS to address stated and additional concerns of our community and to identify real mitigation measures.

We encourage people concerned about growth without long-term solutions to speak up on Sept 12th at St. Ann’s Church in Waihe’e starting at 6:30 pm. Contact your County and State representative, and contact the PWA to receive e-mail updates, or to support these efforts in other ways.

Link to Maui News article that explains about one of the 2 big new developments planned for Waiehu:

https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2022/02/752-unit-affordable-housing-project-proposed-in-waiehu/

September 3, 2022

What do you think: Is Affordable Housing is a Trojan Horse; read article here

https://savekihei.org/affordable-housing-is-a-trojan-horse/

September 2, 2022

Letter from Vice President Bobbie Par to Tara Fukukawa, Maui County Staff Planner

Subject: Proposed WAIEHU "AFFORDABLE" Developments

To: <tara.fukukawa@co.maui.us>

Along Kahekili HWY:

    Ms. Fukukawa, Our concerned current Property Tax Payers  in this area have joined together to pushback the Hastily planned change of  Agricultural  to  Urban status, the area OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS along the Kahekili State HWY here in Maui,  without an adequate and usually protective procedural Environmental Impact Study.  It is my understanding that EIN's were put in place to protect the sensitive MAUI Lands. 

What is your  (PLAN)  to prevent the (potential and REAL,  obvious adverse effects) of development without a proper EIN and  improved infrastructure, WATER AND TRAFFIC SAFETY facilities prior to building?? 

What Do you Plan to do to provide safety on the State Highway for Pedestrians, and or Bicycles??   The Current (so called) bike Lane is not even efficient as a walkway now;  and to add over 800 single family homes to this already congested HWY without Infrastructural improvements, just try to forsee the increased injuries, and possible fatalities involving both vehicles and pedestrians.  

There is a need to assess for endemic and endangered animal species before immediate Grubbing and Building. 

What are your Plans to protect some of the possible species that may be here living in this sensitive area??  To go forth and approve this Fast Track method PROPOSED without a proper EIN is why we oppose development. 

Not to minimize MAUI'S  need to increase Homes and Rentals.  But it isn't fair to those families to subject them to the current congestion and increased adverse effects of deforested land in cramped lots.  This will surround them in cramped compacted communities, causing environmental pollution, such as excessive carbon emissions in this low lying area (Valley).   These Hot House effects  will never improve by building over crowded populations  but will continuously worsen.  This area should be assessed for less cramped communities. Too many people in one area with only one way in and one way out endanger the residents in the event of any type of emergency. Escape routes in a low lying area are Necessary for Survival.

What do you Plan to do to protect the people's Health and Welfare ??

Water Meters in this area aren't even being discussed,  publicized, or addressed to the Potential Residents or to the Current Residents in this area. We are facing huge deficits of water availability. We in Maui are encouraged to Conserve our water usage.

What methods do you offer or are in place for excessive water usage in an already extremely dry year in WAIEHU, where we are told to Conserve our water usage, and how can we support over 800 more single family homes in this already dry area???

What do you Plan to do to insure that these and other unforeseen issues are at least considered??           

That is why a Full Environmental study is Prudent and Necessary to help prevent unforeseen issues and probable, future problems. 

So we respectfully implore you to consider postponing your immediate acceptance with the DEVELOPERS along with the COUNTY and STATE Officials until such time a study is completed and a transparent report is given  to: Our MAUI COMMUNITY. 

We are meeting to discuss these issues on September 12th at 6:30 to 8:30 pm @ St Ann's Church in WAIHEE

We are hopeful to see County PLANNERS & COUNTY OFFICIALS & OAHU OFFICIALS there. 

Sincerely awaiting your answers,

PROTECT WAIEHU AHUPUA'A

THANK you for your attention,

BARBARA PARR

bob49bie@gmail.com

808 250-8978

August 19, 2022

Message from the President of Protect Waiehu Ahupua'a:

Dear Neighbors,

Re: Waiehu Residential Community development

We had to object to the Environmental Impact Assessment by August 8, 2022or its conclusions would stand. That would mean that the “affordable housing” could go through without adequate infrastructure, and when built, if our local families couldn’t obtain financing fast enough, investors could buy it up for speculation. Of course, the developer and county don’t want to do a proper Environmental Impact Statement because that would add to the overall cost. We had until August 8 to file a formal complaint with the courts to request of them to do the full Environmental Impact Statement.

We decided creating a non-profit would enable us to accept donations from our neighbors which would allow us to hire an attorney and take formal action. We want to keep our Ahupua’a from becoming an Oahu-like, congested suburb. We did just that and the attorney filed the suit in time so now we have a little breathing room before the next steps. Meanwhile, the non-profit is being reviewed and the IRS will approve it. Once that is done your donations will be tax-deductible retroactive.

If you agree with our purpose — to make sure our local families have housing with adequate infrastructure and to make sure that IF this development is to be built in our neighborhood, the developer and county mitigate traffic, flooding, school over-crowding, protect native Hawaiian cultural areas, and the rest — then we need two things from you:

1. Action.

a. Planning Director Tara Furukawa has confirmed Sept 12th at St. Ann’s Church in Waihee from 6:30-8:30pm to discuss the Waiehu Residential Community development. Spread the word and show up with your concerns.

b. When there are hearings that affect us, we will send you the information on where to send your written testimony, information on where and when to show up for the hearing and a link to any online meeting coverage. We hope you will at least provide written testimony, even if it’s just “I agree/disagree” with ____. Numbers matter and your contribution signifies action by the community.

Currently, there are several bills for making sure our local families get housed. We think it’s a start on what is needed — in a nutshell, that all “affordable housing: go to local families at a fair price and that when they want/need to sell it, the county buys it back and turns it around to be available for another local family at an affordable price. I will be forwarding an email with more detail, links for written testimony, the zoom info and live hearing info along with sample testimony. But please feel free to say things like “this seems like a great idea” or “I support this though think it could be improved by…” if you don’t want to go at length. Numbers matter. Put that you are a member of the Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a group.

2. Money. We raised the $7,000 needed to file the suit. Four neighbors contributed $1,000 each and some others contributed the rest. But we will need a lot more to carry this lawsuit to its end. We do expect support from groups like Sierra Club and Earth Justice, who have made no financial promises. It will take lots of small contributions combined to make a large impact to see the lawsuit to completion. You can send your contributions to our treasurer, Diana Kaaihue, checks must be made payable exactly to: Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a or Diana Kaaihue and mailed to 1291 W. Hiahia St. Wailuku, HI 96793 (must include the name of PWA AND the “or” Diana Kaaihue until we get our IRS non-profit corporation #)

Mahalo,

Gail Nagasako

Your neighbor and President of the Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a – pwamaui@gmail.com

Spread the word and have neighbors sign up to receive emails: https:// bit. ly / 3zvINW7 (take the spaces out)

August 16, 2022

Want to know when the county is meeting to discuss important issues: 

Affordable Housing, Land Use, etc... here is the link; you can submit comments by clicking on 'ECOMMENT'

http://mauicounty.us/agendas/

August 14, 2022

Did you know you can view all the projects being developed in Maui County? 

Click on the Maui County Project Status Viewer and Select VIEW_MIP_Growth boundaries on left side menu to see if projects are exceeding the Maui County General Plan approved in 2010. Contact the state’s Land Use Commission to object to overreach for those projects exceeding the red boundary limit of planned growth.

https://mauicounty.maps.arcgis.com/.../weba.../index.html...

August 7, 2022

The complaint has been filed with the courts! 

Aloha friends and neighbors, The complaint has been filed with the court by our attorneys. We have to cut a check to them this week for their retainer fee of $6,000. We are about half-way there and still need your donations. Please consider helping to protect this beautiful and culturally important area of Maui by donating.

We are in process of setting up a non-profit with the IRS; once that is completed we can obtain a checking account on behalf of the organization. Until we have our checking account, if you can please provide a donation to the attorney fund, please mail a check to our treasurer and email us with the amount you are donating :

Diana Kaaihue

1291 W. Hiahia St

Wailuku, HI 96793

Diana will cut a check directly to the attorney’s office.

Mahalo from your neighbors from Waiehu Ahupua'a

August 3, 2022

Aloha friends and neighbors,

We are in process of setting up a non-profit with the IRS; once that is completed we can obtain a checking account on behalf of the organization. We do need immediately to raise fund for our attorney to start the legal claim against the developer and County of Maui requiring a FULL Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be done. We have some donors but not enough to start the lawsuit. We need to know what your commitment is no later than this Saturday, August 6th and if you can donate and support this very important issue for our Ahupua’a.

Until we have our checking account, if you can please provide a donation to the attorney fund, please mail a check to our treasurer and email us with the amount you are donating :

Diana Kaaihue

1291 W. Hiahia St

Wailuku, HI 96793

Diana will cut a check directly to the attorney’s office.

Once our non-profit is created, the new checking account will be established and all future donations can be made to the organization, legal name etc forthcoming as we need the IRS to authorize it.

Please note: that should we win, it is possible that the court could award us all attorney fees to be reimbursed. Thus, please let us know how much you donate so you can be refunded if the court awards this.

Mahalo for your kokua and support!

Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a

Spread the word and have neighbors sign up to receive emails: bit.ly/3zvINW7 

July 21, 2022

48% more homes in Waiehu = “No significant impact!” per the County - Affordable Housing: At what costs?

There are 2 new “workforce housing” developments on the fast track to being built on Kahekili Highway, near the intersection of Waiehu Beach Road. Hale Mahaolu Ke Kahua (HMKK), 120 rental units and Wailuku Residential Community (WRC ), 752 units. There are currently approximately 1,872 homes in Waiehu from Wailuku Country Estates to River on both sides of Kahekili Highway.

The basic conclusion of concerned citizens is that these projects should not be approved until the County and State address, fund, and complete the infrastructure issues identified, but not dealt with, by the developers of these projects. If you are concerned and want your elected officials to know your opinion, we have provided the following actions you can take NOW!

1) Contact your Maui County Council and State Representatives, even Candidates currently running, see list below. This can be done via phone, e-mail, letter, in-person visit, or testifying at any hearings.

2) Join an ad hoc group to join forces, track progress, and help spread the word; We have identified the following areas of concern, feel free to add to them:

Roadways and Traffic:

The Final EA for the WRC continues to point to where improvements are needed, yet there are only suggestions. Key intersections are already at failing grades of D or F. Their traffic studies are dated or only estimates, we find them inadequate and underestimated.

Schools:

Thousands of new residents will require classrooms. The EAS only points out where schools are, not how or when they will be expanded to handle such new growth. It is the County’s responsibility to meet the needs of our residents, not overcrowd classrooms.

Drainage:

While the EAS for WRC may accurately describe existing and anticipated conditions, fast-track projects may make any future failures of the system the responsibility of the WRC residents and County, not the developers. A fast track today is no excuse for flooded homes needing to be replaced down the line.

Green Belt setbacks:

The landscaping along the highway to mitigate the intrusion of buildings constructed are completely inadequate to maintain the rural vistas currently along the Highway. We believe the entire project should be moved further away from the Highway to preserve the mountain view vistas for all citizens to enjoy into the future rather than accommodating buildings that are too close to the highway that benefit only a few hundred new residents.

Next are the full EAS (Environmental Assessment) links

https://files.hawaii.gov/.../2022-06-08-MA-FEA-Hale...

https://files.hawaii.gov/.../2022-07-08-MA-FEA-Waiehu...

When calling please be respectful: Use suggested language such as:

I am calling/writing regarding the Waiehu Residential Community and the Hale Mahaolu fast-tract developments. I am most concerned about ___________(fill in the blank ). Be short, precise, and ask that they oppose this development until such issues are addressed concurrently, not after approval, of any new development in this area.

Contact as many as you can as fast as you can at www.mauicounty.gov:

Mayor Michael Victorino: Mayors.Office@mauicounty.gov (808) 270-7855

Alice.Lee@mauicounty.us, Council Chair (808) 270-7760

Keani.Rawlins@mauicounty.us, Council Vice-Chair (808) 270-7678

Tasha.Kama@mauicounty.us, Presiding Officer Pro Tem (808) 270-5501

Gabe.Johnson@mauicounty.us, Councilmember (808) 270-7768

Kelly.King@mauicounty.us, Councilmember (808) 270-7108

Mike.Molina@mauicounty.us, Councilmember (808) 270-5507

Tamara.Paltin@mauicounty.us, Councilmember (808) 270-5504

Shane.Sinenci@mauicounty.us, Councilmember (808) 270-7246 

Yukilei.Sugimura@mauicounty.us, Councilmember (808) 270-7939

Former State Representative:

Hashimoto , Troy N. Phone 808-586-9444 E-Mail: rephashimoto@Capitol.hawaii.gov

Current State Representative:

McKelvey , Angus L.K Phone 808-586-6160 E-Mail: repmckelvey@Capitol.hawaii.gov

Approving Agency: Department of Housing and Human Concerns:

Buddy Almeida: 808-270-7351 Buddy.Almeida@co.maui.hi.us

Applicant: Genova Construction Development:

Brad Cook: 949-396-2943 brad@genovacd.com

Planning Consultant: Chris Hart& Partners, Inc

Brett A. Davis: 808-242-1955 brad@genovacd.com

If you are interested in joining forces with our group, contributing to legal review fees, and or providing support, suggestions and volunteering your time, contact our group: 

Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a ( PWA)

Contact Gail Nagasako, President  808-281-1549

Contact Bobbie Parr, Vice President  808 250-8978

Contact Diana Kaaihue, Treasurer 808-283-1296 

Donations can be mailed to: Diana Kaaihue, 1291 W. Hiahia St., Wailuku, HI 96793

Contact email: pwamaui@gmail.com

Facebook page Waiehu Ahupua’a: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083390594523

Mahalo, Your neighbors in Waiehu