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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.