Only within the last month and a half have I ever heard of things such as the Maui Island Plan, West Maui Community Plan, plan advisory committees, and planning commissions. I am 23 years old and I was born and raised here in west maui. I would like to show my support for rural/urban growth in the Olowalu area as designated on the Maui Island Plan. As I’ve been able to learn about the research that has been conducted per the westmaui.wearemaui.org/ website I read the vision workshop results and the community design workshop results where it was very strongly expressed by members of our community that we need more workforce housing, affordable housing, and housing for local families. No more of the gentleman estates and luxury homes. It’s my understanding that even within the areas marked for agriculture, these gentleman estates can still happen as long as they stick to some regulations regarding the plants and trees they have in their yards. Similar to that of the homes in Launiupoko. To prevent this from happening in the Olowalu area, I would like to see affordable homes for local families there. This can only be done within the rural and urban growth boundaries. I hope that as I continue to work hard, save money, and make smart choices I will be able to continue a life here in west maui and live comfortably in a home of my own where my family can grow. I’m sure I share this hope with many other local families and community members and I would like to see that our hopes are being protected and strived for by our local leaders. As I mentioned, I only recently became aware of what planning is and I am still learning about the different zones and designations. After learning about how greatly this affects me and my future I opened up this conversation with many of my peers and friends. We all wish there was a greater outreach to the population of younger voters. More resources for us to be informed and more opportunities for us to voice our opinions. We need places to live, we need homes where families can grow, and we shouldn’t have to wait 20+ years for it to happen.
I believe we should support the original Kā‘anapali 2020 Master Plan that was developed over 20-years with widespread community support. More detail explanation is provided in my written testimony which I have attached. TY
The best way to speed up the community plan update process would be to take the Maui Planning Commission (MPC) out of the process. This would streangthen the Community Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) and community voices because the CPAC would be directly advising the council.
More steps gives lobbiests and developers extra streangth in the process because they have the time and resources to testify multiple times.
Also MPC is a very time intensive commission to volunteer on. Taking Community Plans off their shoulders would help the commission focus on other significant responsibilities.
West Maui Affordable Housing Survey Results- Joseph D Pluta
The West Maui Taxpayer’s Association conducted a survey to be used as a tool for consideration by the Maui County Council who is currently reviewing the West Maui Community Plan Draft, (WMCPD).
There seems to be major conflicting elements in the current Draft with the Maui Island Plan as to areas where housing could be located and as such deserved to be more fully explored and carefully reviewed. Inconsistencies with the Maui Island Plan and the Kaanapali 2020 Community Planning effort are potentially subject to unnecessary and unwanted litigation at the expense of Maui Taxpayers. For example, the WMCPD currently proposes changes in land use designations for approximately 100 acres of the Kaanapali South area for Parks/Open Space and 100 acres for agriculture where the Kaanapali 2020 community plan and Island Plan envisions residential and mixed use development.
As an initial founding member of the Kaanapali 2020 community planning group, I participated in monthly meetings for over 20 years with the K2020 team. This was an award-winning plan and key stakeholders in the West Maui community who participated with me were Ed Lindsey, Mae Fujiwara, “Buck” Buchannan, Star Medeiros, Eve Clute, and A. James Wriston III. They are now deceased and left this world thinking the K2020 plan as incorporated into the Maui Island Plan was going to be respected. This WMCPD disrespects the legacies of these community members who were devoted to serving the West Maui Community. That is simply not acceptable.
Interestingly, 48 percent of the respondents to the survey indicated that they had never heard of the West Maui Community Plan. The WMCPD eliminates hundreds of acres of housing in areas at Launiupoko and Olowalu while approximately half of the survey participants indicated they would like to live. That’s also not acceptable.
The survey was developed by West Maui stakeholders, the WMTA board, and facilitated in synergy with the Maui Chamber of Commerce survey platforms and easily accessible via the internet. It can be viewed with it’s results on our WMTA website at www.westmaui.org
Respectfully Submitted,
Joseph D Pluta, President
Only within the last month and a half have I ever heard of things such as the Maui Island Plan, West Maui Community Plan, plan advisory committees, and planning commissions. I am 23 years old and I was born and raised here in west maui. I would like to show my support for rural/urban growth in the Olowalu area as designated on the Maui Island Plan. As I’ve been able to learn about the research that has been conducted per the westmaui.wearemaui.org/ website I read the vision workshop results and the community design workshop results where it was very strongly expressed by members of our community that we need more workforce housing, affordable housing, and housing for local families. No more of the gentleman estates and luxury homes. It’s my understanding that even within the areas marked for agriculture, these gentleman estates can still happen as long as they stick to some regulations regarding the plants and trees they have in their yards. Similar to that of the homes in Launiupoko. To prevent this from happening in the Olowalu area, I would like to see affordable homes for local families there. This can only be done within the rural and urban growth boundaries. I hope that as I continue to work hard, save money, and make smart choices I will be able to continue a life here in west maui and live comfortably in a home of my own where my family can grow. I’m sure I share this hope with many other local families and community members and I would like to see that our hopes are being protected and strived for by our local leaders. As I mentioned, I only recently became aware of what planning is and I am still learning about the different zones and designations. After learning about how greatly this affects me and my future I opened up this conversation with many of my peers and friends. We all wish there was a greater outreach to the population of younger voters. More resources for us to be informed and more opportunities for us to voice our opinions. We need places to live, we need homes where families can grow, and we shouldn’t have to wait 20+ years for it to happen.
I believe we should support the original Kā‘anapali 2020 Master Plan that was developed over 20-years with widespread community support. More detail explanation is provided in my written testimony which I have attached. TY
The best way to speed up the community plan update process would be to take the Maui Planning Commission (MPC) out of the process. This would streangthen the Community Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) and community voices because the CPAC would be directly advising the council.
More steps gives lobbiests and developers extra streangth in the process because they have the time and resources to testify multiple times.
Also MPC is a very time intensive commission to volunteer on. Taking Community Plans off their shoulders would help the commission focus on other significant responsibilities.
West Maui Affordable Housing Survey Results- Joseph D Pluta
The West Maui Taxpayer’s Association conducted a survey to be used as a tool for consideration by the Maui County Council who is currently reviewing the West Maui Community Plan Draft, (WMCPD).
There seems to be major conflicting elements in the current Draft with the Maui Island Plan as to areas where housing could be located and as such deserved to be more fully explored and carefully reviewed. Inconsistencies with the Maui Island Plan and the Kaanapali 2020 Community Planning effort are potentially subject to unnecessary and unwanted litigation at the expense of Maui Taxpayers. For example, the WMCPD currently proposes changes in land use designations for approximately 100 acres of the Kaanapali South area for Parks/Open Space and 100 acres for agriculture where the Kaanapali 2020 community plan and Island Plan envisions residential and mixed use development.
As an initial founding member of the Kaanapali 2020 community planning group, I participated in monthly meetings for over 20 years with the K2020 team. This was an award-winning plan and key stakeholders in the West Maui community who participated with me were Ed Lindsey, Mae Fujiwara, “Buck” Buchannan, Star Medeiros, Eve Clute, and A. James Wriston III. They are now deceased and left this world thinking the K2020 plan as incorporated into the Maui Island Plan was going to be respected. This WMCPD disrespects the legacies of these community members who were devoted to serving the West Maui Community. That is simply not acceptable.
Interestingly, 48 percent of the respondents to the survey indicated that they had never heard of the West Maui Community Plan. The WMCPD eliminates hundreds of acres of housing in areas at Launiupoko and Olowalu while approximately half of the survey participants indicated they would like to live. That’s also not acceptable.
The survey was developed by West Maui stakeholders, the WMTA board, and facilitated in synergy with the Maui Chamber of Commerce survey platforms and easily accessible via the internet. It can be viewed with it’s results on our WMTA website at www.westmaui.org
Respectfully Submitted,
Joseph D Pluta, President