Some key points of her administration that are hampering development on Maui:
1. TVR enforcement
2. Zoning changes "on-hold" pending development of county plan
3. Difficulty in getting building permits
4. now this beach park issue
To many Maui residents,
development is hampering Maui. The TVR enforcement and Beach Park situation are not really development issues, they are small business/tourism issues. These issues are also not just happening on Maui, they are happening on most of the Hawaiian Islands.
The large land owners (pineapple and cane Plantations) and big money developers have inundated the permitting department with tens of thousands of building permit applications every year for decades, so there is a backlog of the permit processing. That said, there are many thousands of already permitted projects not started yet because the workforce is busy with previous projects. I do not think the construction industry is laying off any half decent workers on Maui for some time to come.
Water is another development issue, with some indicators raising concern that we are doing permanent damage to the fresh water lens of the Island. Next summer, as with every summer, Upcountry will be in mandatory water rationing while the resorts and new expensive sub-divisions in the arid parts of the Island have lush golf courses, lawns and gardens. The main problem I have with past and present Maui Administrations is allowing the Plantations/developers to control the water. Every other County has taken control of the water supply per Hawaii State Supreme Court ruling that the water belongs to the people.
Putting the leeward over-watering together with unchecked near-coastal development; considerable amounts of grey water, sediments, pesticides and fertilizers are leeching into the reef ecosystem, so it is hardly any surprise there has been a significant decline in fish, coral and visibility.
What good is a "Master Plan" if later Administrations are allowed to change the zoning so development can happen in parts of the Island that were "protected" from development in the afore mentioned previous "Master Plan". Much of the TVR issue has a similar tone, in that existing County and State Laws and Regulations "protect" residential and agricultural lands from becoming tourist accommodations.
What is so offensive about residential neighborhoods being for residents and agricultural lands being for agricultural? In the coming years as oil goes past $200/barrel, where will the common working class live and where will the food be grown if we have allowed residential and agricultural lands to become tourist accommodations? The use of the word "moratorium" is getting more and more prevalent, both from a human and natural resource perspective.
If the Commercial Ocean Recreational Activities (CORA) want to protect their turf, I suggest they not wage an illogical propaganda campaign like the TVR proponents. Instead, work together to actually protect the turf, in more than just a bottom line manner. It is a fact that many Maui residents feel many of the County Beach Parks are overcrowded and unusable due to all the small businesses making money by way of the public lands. Some of them are new residents living in the new expensive developments and some of them are native Hawaiians who are tired of being pushed aside, but there are quite a few vocal conservationists and normal beach users as well.
Why does Maui, or any Island, have to continually develop? Why do we have to pave paradise? Why do so many people feel they need to grow their business? What is wrong with maintaining our infestation to a sustainable level, and not becoming the new Waikiki?
As I stated before, and was in local papers recently, the DLNR bombshell has meant a re-write of the proposal. Then there will be community involvement in compromise negotiations. If the CORA businesses throw a tantrum like the TVR operators they may indeed feel the wrath of backlash. Hopefully, calm heads and logical decisions will prevail, but there will be regulation and reduction, so everybody needs to come to terms with their place in the machine.
If you can't admit you are part of the problem, you will never be part of the solution!
