Gabe Johnson

South Maui Community Plan update (Bill 108)

Testifiers said the plan's projects and actions carry no visible cost or funding plan — potentially hundreds of millions in taxpayer-funded infrastructure.

Gulch and drainage-way protection policies

Could affect the viability of drainage master plan projects in Kīhei.

Wastewater disinfection concerns at Wailuku-Kahului facility

UV upgrades would require new funding; the chair invited the department to bring cost requests to the council.

Protection of Wahi Kupuna and cultural resources

Funding status for the monument was discussed; no county commitment was made at this meeting.

Emergency evacuation routes for South Maui

Building a North Kīhei bypass or opening ranch-road access would require major county infrastructure spending not yet funded.

North-South Collector Road and eminent domain

First phase estimated at $72-75 million and expected to rise; current funding is only about half of what's needed to reach Kaonoulu.

$1.6B CDBG-DR wildfire recovery fund status

Groups requested $500,000 in county funding, with household gaps of up to $500,000 each.

Kula (Waiakoa) gym damage and possible total loss

Potential full facility replacement if deemed a total loss; FEMA eligibility pursued through reclassification.

Upcountry water meter list and supply

Desalination plants are expensive to build and operate, with costs likely passed to ratepayers.

Māʻalaea Triangle zoning cleanup

The two main property owners are splitting the cost of the rezoning effort.

North Kihei Road Relocation and Shoreline Management

$500,000 estimated for the management plan, with county, state and federal funding.

Infrastructure Priority for 100% Affordable and Workforce Housing

Requirements add costs to housing projects, which Chair Lee warns could make homes less affordable.

Sea level rise and shoreline management retreat

Proposed conditions could require owners to fund shoreline surveys, document and bond structures, and eventually remove improvements encroaching on public trust lands.

Structural reform of county boards and commissions

Most boards cost little directly, but thin staffing and IT problems have already caused cancelled meetings and duplicated support structures.

Adopt-A-Street litter and stormwater program

Operating within existing public works resources; no new funding was requested.

Hotel rezoning of apartment-district TVR properties (Bill 9 exemptions)

Owners testified buildings like Hale Kai O Kīhei are underinsured by at least $5 million with flood insurance costing roughly $10,000 per unit per year, while critics say hotel zoning locks in visitor revenue instead of housing.

County acquisition of Launiupoko and Olowalu water systems

Up to $6 million for the purchase, plus roughly $1.55 million in post-closing transition and improvement costs, offset by projected annual revenues of about $3.3 million against $1.55 million in operating costs.

Council vacancy Charter amendment

A special election could cost roughly $600,000 to $700,000 per occurrence.

Climate action revolving fund

Roughly $14 million per year of TAT revenue would be set aside under the 20% proposal.

Sister-city relationship with Laoag, Philippines

The Sister Cities Foundation has received around $14,000 in county budget support historically, and any seed money for new exchanges would come up in the next budget cycle.

Recommend passage of Bill 139 (2026) on first reading (Keokea Industrial UGB amendment)

Substitute CD1 draft of Bill 139

Amend draft Action 1.16: mauka collector road feasibility study

Add implementation action and reduce study cost to $250,000

Defer Bill 108 (2026), South Maui Community Plan Update

Bill 141 (2026) — Maui Research & Technology Park zoning amendments

Amendment to Bill 24 Condition 8 — water-reporting sunset

Striking Bill 24 Condition 9 — bypass-road requirement

Bills 24 and 25 (2024) — Lānaʻi Project District 2 (Kōʻele) downzoning

Bill 142 (2026) — Monetary donations during an emergency

CD1 amendment to Bill 131 (2026)

Bill 131 (2026) as amended — FY 2027 budget donations provisions

Bill 132 (2026) — $100,000 disaster donation line item

Amendment restoring $5,000 maximum administrative fine

Amendment covering boards and commissions in the definition of administrative action

Replace Bill 100 with the proposed CD1 version as amended

Recommend passage of Bill 100 (2026) on first reading

Deferral of Cost of Government Commission recommendations item

Bill 116 (2026) — CD1 amendment

Bill 116 (2026) — recommend passage on first reading

Amendment to Bill 24 Condition 8 — water-reporting sunset

Wanted reporting to continue until full build-out, beyond five years

Striking Bill 24 Condition 9 — bypass-road requirement

Both community plans call for a bypass road; he stands with his community on safety and truck traffic

Bills 24 and 25 (2024) — Lānaʻi Project District 2 (Kōʻele) downzoning

Supports the lower density despite concerns about unaffordable homes

Remove La Perouse Bay reference for Keoneʻoʻio

Definition of natural drainage ways (Appendix D)

Amend Action 3.24 — continue desalination feasibility study, explore demonstration facility

amend the County lead agency to give Planning a hand by adding Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization and Department of Public Works... the plan must address coastal resilience, recreation resource,

strike Action 2.16 from page 123 of our draft community plan booklet and add it to Policy Goal 2.2... and it would say, "Prioritize infrastructure improvements for housing developments that are 100 pe

Develop a strategic plan for South Maui to house individuals who are unsheltered using relevant studies and plans as a starting point for the creation of the plan.

Amendment to Action 2.14 — houselessness strategic plan

amend page 123 of the draft plan by striking action item 2.18 and moving it to Section 2, Goal 2.2, Livable For All section, to read, "Support land use entitlements to implement a grand…green waste co

striking Action 2.17 from page 123 of the draft South Maui Community Plan, including any nonsubstantive changes or revisions.

Action 2.16 moved to policy — infrastructure for 100% affordable/workforce housing

Strike Action 2.17 — duplexes/kitchenettes already legal

Action 2.18 converted to policy — green waste composting

Amendment to Action 2.20 — North Kīhei Road shoreline management plan

Policy 2.4.2 — prioritize green infrastructure over gray

replace the 2.3.10 policy in your draft book with the recommended changes on Attachment 3a, page 50, that would add in Department of ‘Ōiwi Resources

amend 2.3.3 to the recommended language

amend 2.3.18 on page 43, and replace it with the recommended language on Attachment 3a, page 54, for recommended changes

go to the recommended changes and just strike “to development,” and any other nonsubstantive changes

delete 2.3.13 on page 42 of your draft plan

amend 2.3.19 in page 43 of our draft plan to say, “require new developments to use landscaping that minimizes water use with drought-resistant and microclimate appropriate design and plants, including

amend 2.3.23 on page 43 of the draft plan to say “require the use of gray water or recycled water in County Parks, greenways, and community gardens when available and legally permissible.”

to go into executive session

amend 2.3.20 on page 43 of the draft plan to say, “use of catchment systems and gray water were available and allowed by the State Department of Health for nonpotable use.”

amend 2.3.22 in page 43 of the draft plan be amended to read as Attachment 3a, page 56, Recommended Changes on the far-right policy

amend 2.3.25 on page 43 of the draft plan to say, move to...toward eliminating the use of wastewater injection wells in South Maui to reduce ocean pollution by expanding the recycled water distributio

re-add the policy at the top of Attachment 3a, page 38.

add that we’d like to follow the Urban Forest Plan that was mentioned until such time that the South Maui Tree Canopy Plan is adopted.

Amend Policy 2.2.14 — reference Urban Forest Management Plan

Motion to reinstate 1998 infrastructure-before-development policy — FAILED

Policy 2.1.8 — recommended language (initially tabled)

to adopt the recommended policy language for 2.1.8 on Attachment 3A, page 7

I move to follow the ASF that I submitted that everyone should have that’s uploaded to Granicus, which would insert two whereas clauses.

I move to add a criteria that properties mauka of South Kīhei Road not be included.

I will be using the same exact ASF, but I will be saying that it doesn’t apply to properties in the flood hazard area.

Recommending ADOPTION of Resolution 26-129, CD1.

I would like a motion to amend referencing the ASF I distributed today. I will entertain a motion to amend Resolution 26-129 by replacing it with the proposed CD1 version attached to the ASF, and the

I move to file this resolution.

Paltin criteria: exclude properties mauka of South Kīhei Road

Rawlins-Fernandez criteria: 25% residential-use cutoff (original form)

Supports the effort

Rawlins-Fernandez criteria, as amended by Paltin (exclude flood-zone properties)

Motion to amend Resolution 26-129 (adopt criteria and replacement CD1)

Does not support adding any more units to H-3/H-4

Recommend adoption of Resolution 26-129 as amended

Opposes adding more units to H-3/H-4

Motion to file Resolution 26-130

recommend passing of Bill 113 (2026) on first reading

Recommend passage of Bill 113 (2026) on first reading (as amended)

He prefers a light touch over heavy-handed surveillance power, citing his Lanai perspective and privacy concerns.

I’m happy to make it as a amendment on my own.

HLU-25 amendment: Count the evacuation route toward the 20% open space requirement

Hesitated but ultimately joined; noted the committee had restored many original uses to the applicant.