Maui County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Maui County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
HRS Chapter 179D dam and reservoir safety barrier
Member Cook warned that state law makes liability so 'toxic' that detention basins to stop South Maui mud floods aren't being built. The committee agreed to raise it in future legislative lobbying.
Wastewater disinfection concerns at Wailuku-Kahului facility
Testifier Travis Lincoln proposed a novel donation-funded model to accelerate 100% R-1 disinfection at the Kihei and Kahului plants, citing elevated fecal bacteria in UIC reports; Mike Moran pressed for clarity on whether South Maui's injection well water is actually UV-treated given poor water quality at Cove Park.
Adopt-A-Street litter and stormwater program
Volunteers adopt stretches of road, pick up litter twice a year, and keep trash out of storm drains and the ocean. The county supplies gear and hauls the bags; the program has three groups but capacity for about ten.
Restoring Hawaiian place names and history in the plan
Historian Lucienne de Naie warned that big detention basins and developments are planned over poorly-surveyed archaeological sites — repeating past mistakes like the Wailea hotel zone built atop a major burial ground.
Protection of Wahi Kupuna and cultural resources
The committee approved policies ensuring Native Hawaiian access to kuleana lands, preserving historic roads like the King's Trail with restoration encouraged where practicable, using Ike Kupuna in development design, and supporting a South Maui cultural center and museum.
Gulch and drainage-way protection policies
Proposed policies would bar new permanent structures in or within 100 feet of gulches and drainageways, but Public Works Director Molina warned the blanket restriction could kill needed flood mitigation and drainage projects. Deferred for more work.
Reviving the Nāulu Cloud Bridge
Restoration and reforestation work spanning leeward Haleakalā to Kahoʻolawe aims to encourage rainfall for the region. The committee wants to see the work in person, which requires closing the meeting to the public because of unexploded ordnance and access limits on the island.
Exceptional Trees Designation
The committee endorsed a plan action to designate historic or culturally significant trees as exceptional trees, and noted a real-world snarl: the county arborist moved to Public Works while the Arborist Committee sits under Parks and Recreation.
Green Waste Composting in South Maui
Currently South Maui's green waste goes to the landfill while a private facility composts in Waikapū, outside the plan area. The committee converted the action into a policy supporting land-use entitlements for a composting operation within the plan area, and flagged a broader General Plan conversation.
South Maui gulch flooding and sediment management
Drone footage showed repeated flooding and sediment buildup on the Keahuaiwi, Waiakoa, Kūlanihākoʻi, and Waipuʻilani gulches, flooding homes, businesses, and roads in Kihei. Testifiers said development in flood zones and narrow channelization make it worse, and pushed for wide gulch buffers and wetland preservation.
Coastal retreat incentives for shoreline properties
The committee is exploring how to help shoreline property owners in the sea-level-rise exposure zone move inland by transferring their water and utility rights to a new parcel — but only for early adopters, not those who hold out and armor the shoreline. It was tabled pending wastewater and water department details.
Sea level rise and shoreline management retreat
Members debated whether the County should flag properties for rezoning based on sea level rise exposure, flood zones, or shoreline setback — and whether conditions like certified shoreline surveys and managed-retreat removal plans should attach. Storm damage from recent Kona Lows and hurricane swells framed the urgency.
Climate Action and Resiliency Plan tracking
Gabe Johnson pushed to lock in 20% of TAT revenues — about $13 million a year — for climate resilience, but colleagues said the county already spends $90 million and worried about tying up a shrinking revenue source. The proposal was filed 7-2.
Managed retreat fund and Paia Mantokuji
A testifier opposed a $2.5 million managed retreat fund request by the Paia Mantokuji mission, saying it funds shoreline armoring instead of relocation and comes with state bills seeking environmental exemptions.
Urban tree canopy and shade equity
South Maui is hot and short on shade, and the committee heard it's an equity issue — wealthy neighborhoods get tree tunnels, North Kihei doesn't. New rules tie development to the county Urban Forest Management Plan until a South Maui tree plan exists, and push for public notice before hazardous tree removal.
Wastewater disinfection and fire-break greenbelt
Travis Liggett pitched a plan to accelerate UV wastewater disinfection and build a reclaimed-water greenbelt firebreak along South Maui — funded, he proposes, by big philanthropy through new "SMILAST" legislation. Councilmember Cook asked him to submit an outline.
Herbicide use waiver on county roadsides
Public Works says it can't keep up with vegetation by hand along 1,000+ miles of road shoulders and wants a two-year waiver to spot-spray herbicides at intersections, guardrails, and pavement cracks. Members worried about glyphosate, kids on sidewalks, runoff into the ocean, and the $7 million already spent on equipment and staff for nonchemical methods.
Sea-level rise and shoreline protection requirements for new hotel zones
Testifiers clashed over whether sea level rise justifies hotel rezoning or instead demands managed retreat, buyouts, and removal of shoreline structures. Advocates cited the county's hazard mitigation plan ($1.2 billion in at-risk replacement value) and urged conditions like no further shoreline armoring and bonded removal obligations.
Keawanui Fishpond and Kaʻamola Ahupuaʻa Restoration
ʻĀina Momona is restoring the Keawanui Fishpond and managing 437 acres mauka to stop erosion that was killing the pond's fish and smothering the reef. The group is asking the County for help permitting traditional practices and for influence with DLNR on access to rivers and valleys.
Food and Nutrition Security Plan (Bill 98)
Bill 98 writes the county's Food and Nutrition Security Plan into the Maui County Code, requiring a public dashboard tracking progress and five-year plan updates. It's advisory for most purposes but gives the plan permanent legal standing to guide future administrations.
Climate action revolving fund
Chair Johnson proposes dedicating 20% of the county's hotel tax — roughly $14 million a year — to fund the county's Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, possibly via charter amendment. Most members prefer an ordinance, citing bond-rating worries, TAT revenue declines, and flexibility.
Mokuʻula restoration funding from 500 Front Street lot
Money collected at the 500 Front Street lot flows to the Hawaiian Cultural Restoration Revolving Fund for the Mokuʻula/royal complex area. Members flagged that the lot may be lost to restoration plans and asked for written confirmation of how the funding gap gets covered.
Renewable energy grants cut
The committee zeroed out a $50,000 renewable energy grant line, with members arguing the amount is too small to matter. Johnson and Rawlins-Fernandez floated a bigger idea: a zero-interest loan program for community renewable energy projects under the climate plan.
Māʻalaea regional wastewater reclamation system
A coalition of Māʻalaea residents, engineers, and water-quality experts packed testimony urging $2.5 million to jumpstart a regional wastewater system replacing injection wells that are degrading Māʻalaea Bay's coral. The project is shovel-ready with $2.5 million already secured and needs county support to close a funding gap.
Algal turf scrubbing for wastewater nutrient removal
A parade of PhD-level experts testified that algal turf scrubbers — 'freshwater limu' systems — can strip nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater to levels almost no other technology can reach, and asked the county to adopt the approach to meet stringent ocean water-quality standards.
Solid Waste and Sustainability Fund Uses
DEM is moving the recycling section back into the Solid Waste Division (where every other Hawaii county has it) and asking for $330,000 for cloud-based routing software, plus new equipment. A bill (62) clean up the fund rules to match.
Climate action and resiliency funding (Bills 66 & 67)
Johnson floated two bills to dedicate 20% of the county TAT to climate action and resiliency — either through a new revolving fund (Bill 66) or the existing EPNS fund (Bill 67). Members liked the concept but want public input and committee work before acting.
Mālaea Village injection wells and Maalaea Bay water quality
A 4-4 vote kept (for now) $2.5 million to help Mālaea Village replace polluting injection wells; members wrestled with privatized gains versus a badly degraded bay.
Groundwater monitoring and well accountability
Testifiers pointed out the county doesn't track what private wells pump, even as a drought stretches on — one noted the water director has budgeted for a machine that can see 1,500 feet into the ground to gauge the aquifer. Several asked the committee to require private well owners to report pumping statistics and to defer Bill 1 until that survey is done.
Kula Agricultural Park CIP funding
Council Member Paltin was surprised to learn the $20 million secured years ago for Kula Ag Park Phase 2 is largely being consumed by reservoir and water line work instead of building the second park. The department will provide a funding spreadsheet.
Department of Agriculture expansion
The county's young ag department wants three new full-time positions and expanded grant funding for food security, keiki meal boxes on Molokai, and STEM ag internships. Farmers testified this capacity is critical for food security.
Solid Waste, Fuel Tax, and EV Charging Fee Measures
Bill 62 would expand uses of the Solid Waste Management Fund for recycling and landfill diversion; Resolution 26-63 would adopt fuel tax rates effective July 1, 2026; Bill 64 would set fees at county-owned EV charging stations.
Hamoa/Haneo land acquisition from Open Space Fund ($3M request)
Residents and nonprofits are asking for $3 million from the county's Open Space Fund to buy about 115 acres at Hamoa/Haneo before Ranch Partners LLC can consolidate-resubdivide it into seven five-acre luxury lots — eliminating Kuleana parcels in the process. A legal appeal is pending, a willing-seller letter exists, and an appraisal came in at $3.5 million, with $600,000 in state Legacy Land matching funds just approved.
Ulaino Road conditions and invasive species (little fire ants, banana bunchy top)
Kahanu Garden director Mike Opgenorth reported little fire ants spreading down Ulaino Road and asked the county to rethink the unpaved road — both for safety and to stop invasive species spread. He also flagged banana bunchy top virus threatening Hawaiian banana varieties, pressing for more MISC funding.
Kaʻehu Bay land acquisition and disputed title
The county wants to buy 0.41 acres from the LDS Church to fold into the adjacent Kaʻehu conservation area, but the Mayo ʻohana says the church never held clear title and their ancestors never gave the land away. The committee put the purchase on hold pending family-administration talks.
Limited meeting on Kahoʻolawe under HRS 92-3.1(a)
To visit Kahoʻolawe, the committee must close the meeting to the public under Hawaii's Sunshine Law. Some testifiers objected to the closure, saying the meeting should be public and descendants should be invited.