Aloha Chair and Committee Members,
My name is Lauryn Rego, and I’m writing to support CJ Elizares for a seat on the Maui Planning Commission.
CJ is not only a respected cultural practitioner but also someone deeply rooted in the values and responsibilities of aloha ʻāina. His understanding of place-based knowledge and his long-standing commitment to protecting Maui’s cultural and environmental resources make him exceptionally qualified to serve at this critical time.
The Planning Commission plays a vital role in shaping the future of our island, especially as we face interconnected crises of housing, climate, and community displacement. Yet, with multiple empty seats currently preventing the commission from meeting quorum and conducting essential business, the consequences of inaction are being felt in real time by members of the public, applicants, and our communities.
We need commissioners who bring integrity, cultural grounding, and a vision for balance and pono decision-making. CJ embodies all of these qualities.
Please move swiftly to confirm his appointment so the Planning Commission can resume its work with the benefit of CJ’s knowledge and perspective.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
Lauryn Rego
May 12, 2025
Maui County Council
Honorable chairperson Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and members of the Council
Mahalo for the opportunity to offer testimony to support Christopher Jon Elijares for a position on the Maui Planning Commission as the Native Cultural Practitioner for Upcountry Maui. I live on Kauaʻi and offer this perspective.
I have known “CJ” for many years, meeting and sharing time on Kahoʻolawe as part of the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana. Continuing with visiting many projects he has been involved with and leading on Maui thereafter. The depth of his knowledge and skillset in Native cultural practices combined with the deepest of love for the land he was born and raised in, has allowed his excellence to shine in service. His tireless efforts in serving community is coupled with deep insight that has been passed to him by a strong lineage of kupuna, teachers and mentors.
As he became a father to his 2 sonʻs he vision lifted horizonally to the world we leave for our children and their children. This vision feeds his commitment to finding balance for the land and her people.
His integrity and accountability is deeply rooted in cultural practice and vast knowledge of native plants and all ocean life. He is a natural leader whose courage has its foundation on recognizing what is Pono in a contemporary world that remembers indigenous practices.
I am honored and humbled to have watch his growth into positions of leadership as a true visionary for life now and in time to come on Maui. I strongly support his nomination and appointment as a Planning Commissioner for Maui Nui. I humbly ask the council to look directly into his heart and confirm his appointment.
Testimony to the Maui County Council
RE: Opposition to the Appointment of CJ Elizares to the Maui Planning Commission
Date: May 13, 2025
Aloha Chair and Councilmembers,
My name is Kahele Dukelow, and I am submitting testimony in strong opposition to the appointment of CJ Elizares to the Maui Planning Commission.
While I recognize the importance of Native Hawaiian representation on decision-making bodies such as the Planning Commission, Mr. Elizares’ current professional entanglements present clear and substantial conflicts of interest that cannot be ignored. Mr. Elizares is employed by Makena ATC. This is particularly troubling as there are pending development approvals involving Makena ATC—projects that will come before the very commission he is being nominated to serve on.
Further compounding this concern is his consulting work for Cal Chipchase, who represents not only Makena ATC but also Peter Martin, a developer with ongoing and controversial projects in both Makena and Lahaina. These affiliations directly undermine the impartiality required for fair and community-centered decision-making on the commission.
If appointed, Mr. Elizares would be required to recuse himself from any discussions or votes on developments involving these interests. In doing so, Native Hawaiians and other concerned community members would effectively lose a crucial voice at the table—at a time when our participation in land-use decision-making is more important than ever.
We cannot allow representation to be symbolic only. True representation means being able to speak and vote on the critical issues that affect our ʻāina, our water, and our people. If Mr. Elizares is unable to do that due to professional obligations to developers, then he cannot fulfill the duties of a commissioner in service to the public trust.
I urge you to consider the long-term consequences of appointing individuals with conflicts of interest to our planning bodies. We need a Native Hawaiian representatives who will be able to be a part of these decision making processes. Please oppose this appointment.
Mahalo for your time and commitment to our shared future.
Aloha Chair and Members of the GREAT Committee,
Mahalo for the opportunity to provide testimony regarding the pending appointments to the Maui Planning Commission.
I submit this testimony to respectfully underscore the immense importance of these appointments and to emphasize the critical responsibility entrusted to the Maui Planning Commission particularly as the designated authority for Coastal Zone Management in the County of Maui.
This is not a symbolic role. The Commission holds binding decision-making power over shoreline development, Special Management Area (SMA) permits, and land use decisions that directly shape our communities, ecosystems, and resilience to climate change.
As outlined in County law, the Maui Planning Commission:
Advises the Mayor, County Council, and Planning Director on planning programs;
Reviews and provides recommendations on the general plan and land use ordinances;
Acts as the final authority on matters relating to the Coastal Zone Management Law;
And adopts rules that have long-lasting impacts on how we manage growth and protect our natural and cultural resources.
With this authority comes great responsibility especially at a time when Maui faces intensifying threats from sea level rise, chronic coastal erosion, and climate-related displacement. The decisions made by this body will either preserve or jeopardize our beaches, public access, cultural landscapes, and the safety of future generations.
It is therefore essential that appointments to the Planning Commission reflect a deep understanding of:
Coastal hazards and climate adaptation, including managed retreat, landward migration of beaches, and the harms caused by seawalls;
The public trust doctrine and the obligation to preserve beaches for future generations;
And a commitment to community-based, culturally respectful planning that aligns with the West Maui and broader Maui Island Community Plans.
I respectfully ask that the Council carefully vet each applicant using the following questions, which reflect the depth of knowledge and judgment required for this critical position:
Recommended Questions for Maui Planning Commission Applicants
1. Understanding of Coastal Hazards & Sea Level Rise
What is your understanding of how sea level rise and chronic coastal erosion are expected to impact Maui’s shorelines over the coming decades?
How familiar are you with the State of Hawai‘i’s Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report (2017) and its relevance to planning decisions?
2. Policy Perspectives on Shoreline Development
Do you believe that new development and redevelopment should be allowed in areas identified as vulnerable to sea level rise and erosion? Why or why not?
How would you weigh private property rights against the public trust obligation to protect beaches and coastal access?
3. Managed Retreat(Strategic Relocation) and Adaptation Strategies
What is your perspective on "managed retreat or strategic relocation” as a long-term adaptation strategy for coastal communities? Do you support policies that require shoreline structures to eventually relocate inland?
What kinds of incentives or regulatory tools do you think the County should explore to facilitate managed retreat?
4. Seawalls and Shoreline Hardening
Are you aware of the ecological impacts of seawalls and revetments on beach ecosystems and natural sand movement?
Would you support or oppose the permitting of fixing or constructing seawall/revetments/sandbags in areas where beaches are already eroding? Under what circumstances, if any, would you consider shoreline hardening to be appropriate?
5. Public Trust and Landward Migration
How do you interpret the State’s public trust doctrine as it applies to protecting beaches for landward migration in response to rising seas?
In your view, what are the Planning Commission’s responsibilities when balancing community resilience with development pressures along the shoreline?
6. Community and Cultural Impacts
How would you incorporate Native Hawaiian cultural practices and traditional ecological knowledge into decisions affecting coastal areas?
What role should local communities play in shaping adaptation policies for their shorelines? How does public testimony and consultation affect your decision making?
7. Decision-Making Under Uncertainty
Coastal zone management often involves complex trade-offs and uncertain projections. How would you approach decision-making when scientific information points to long-term risk, but immediate economic or political pressures suggest development?
Mahalo for your leadership, your commitment to rigorous vetting, and your efforts to ensure that those serving on the Maui Planning Commission are fully prepared to steward our coastal resources with integrity, wisdom, and long-term vision.
Aloha Chair and Members of the Government Relations, Ethics, and Transparency (GREAT) Committee,
I write this testimony to strongly oppose the approval of Christopher Jon (CJ) Elizares to the Maui Planning Commission on the basis of ethics and responsibility. His appointment raises significant concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest, the integrity of the commission, and public trust in our local government. CJ Elizares is in a romantic relationship with Ashley Lindsey, who currently serves on the Maui Planning Commission. Appointing both individuals to serve simultaneously on the same body—especially one tasked with making high-stakes decisions about land use—creates an unacceptable dynamic that undermines public confidence in fair and impartial governance.
Additionally, Ashley Lindsey's family owns considerable land on Maui and has been actively involved in local development for years. Any decisions made by the Planning Commission could directly or indirectly affect her and her family's financial interests. Furthermore, CJ Elizares has known connections to the Mākena Golf & Beach Club (via Mākena ʻŌiwi Resources & Stewardship), a luxury real estate development owned by Discovery Land Company. Discovery is a global firm known for creating exclusive, master-planned resort communities that have already sparked concerns about overdevelopment, displacement, and lack of community benefit here in Hawaiʻi. The connection between a planning commissioner and a high-end luxury developer—especially in tandem with a partner who also sits on the commission—presents an undeniable ethical concern.
My intent is not to disparage, but to uphold the standards of ethical governance that Maui County residents deserve.This is about ensuring that those who are appointed to serve the people of Maui do so without bias, without divided loyalties, and with a clear commitment to transparency and ethical standards. The commission must be representative of community interests, not private agendas or personal relationships that create the appearance—or reality—of undue influence.
I respectfully urge the GREAT Committee reject CJ Elizares' appointment and to carefully review and strengthen ethical safeguards around commission appointments. This includes establishing clear conflict-of-interest policies that address romantic, familial, and financial connections between current and incoming members. Our community deserves a planning commission that the public can trust to operate with independence and integrity.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
A concerned born-and-raised Maui citizen
Aloha mai members of the Maui County Government Relations, Ethics, and Transparency Committee,
We are Olan Leimomi Fisher and Kevin Chang, Kuaʻāina Advocate and Executive Director, respectively, testifying on behalf of Kua‘āina Ulu ʻAuamo (or KUA). “Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo” stands for “grassroots growing through shared responsibility,” and our acronym “KUA” means “backbone.” Our mission is to connect and empower communities to improve their quality of life through the collective care for their biocultural (natural and cultural) heritage, serving as a “backbone organization” that supports creative and community-driven solutions to problems stemming from environmental degradation. Hawaiʻi’s biocultural resources continue to be negatively impacted by political, economic, and social changes, and the increasing dangers of climate change make fostering and empowering resilient communities acutely critical. We strongly support the nomination of Crichton Kaʻuiki Lind to the Maui Planning Commission for the County of Maui through Resolution 25-108, and urge you to do the same.
Currently KUA supports three major networks of: (1) over 40 mālama ʻāina (caring for our ʻāina or “that which feeds”) community groups collectively referred to as E Alu Pū (moving forward together); (2) over 60 loko iʻa (fishpond aquaculture systems unique to Hawaiʻi) and wai ‘ōpae (anchialine pool systems) sites in varying stages of restoration and development, with numerous caretakers, stakeholders, and volunteers known as the Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa (“caretakers of fishponds”); and (3) the Limu Hui made up of over 50 loea (traditional experts) and practitioners in all things “limu” or locally-grown “seaweed.” Our shared vision is to once again experience what our kūpuna (ancestors) referred to as ʻĀINA MOMONA – abundant and healthy ecological systems that sustain our community resilience and well-being.
We have worked with Kaʻuiki for several years now, as he is an active member of our Lawaiʻa Pono Hui, an offshoot working group of our larger E Alu Pū network with a focus on policy issues for nearshore resources and communities. KUA has a long history with Kaʻuiki’s larger community in Kīpahulu, Maui, with our organization itself founded in part by kūpuna of Kīpahulu ‘Ohana, Inc., including some of Kaʻuiki’s own ʻohana. We strongly supported the recent establishment of the Kīpahulu Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA), as we have similar efforts to establish CBSFAs in places like Hāʻena, Moʻomomi, and Miloliʻi through our networking and capacity building activities.
Kaʻuiki and the rest of Kīpahulu ʻOhana were integral to the establishment of the Kīpahulu CBSFA. He currently serves as the CBSFA Makai Watch Coordinator and is also a member of the Kīpahulu and Kaupō Community Associations. It is undisputed that Kaʻuiki holds extensive traditional knowledge of his home through his own kilo (observational science) and inherited knowledge through his deep ancestral ties to Maui as both a lawaiʻa (fisher) and mahiʻai (farmer) for kalo and other vegetables. We have also seen Kaʻuiki consistently display strong passion, dedication, and aloha for his beloved home on Maui and other communities across the paeʻāina (Hawaiian Islands). We strongly believe in his ability to advocate for ʻāina momona (abundance) in his community for future generations to love and enjoy. For all these reasons and more, Kaʻuiki clearly possesses more than the required experience and background to effectively serve on the Maui Planning Commission.
The communities we work with are committed to ensuring the long-term health of our biocultural resources that they have cared for and depended on for generations since time immemorial. We believe our environment, the foundation of our very existence and “that which feeds” us all, requires long-term investment through a shared vision of achieving ʻāina momona (abundance) once again. Getting there requires increased mālama ʻāina (caring for our environment) leadership, awareness, and advocacy. This includes nominations for leaders like Kaʻuiki Lind to the Maui Planning Commission. Our decisions today will continue to shape the future that our keiki’s keiki’s keiki will one day inherit – we hope for a future of shared and harmonious abundance, and hope you do, too.
Mahalo nui loa for considering our testimony. Please support Kaʻuiki’s nomination and pass Resolution 25-108.
E aloha 'āina momona kākou.
Let us all work to increase abundance in our precious and sacred ʻāina.
Me ke aloha,
Kevin Chang (Executive Director) and Olan Leimomi Fisher (Kuaʻāina Advocate)
Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo (KUA)
I am writing in strong support of Crichton Kaʻuiki Lind for the Maui Planning Commission. I have known Kaʻuiki through his work on the Kīpahulu CBSFA and through our recent work to prepare to share about his CBSFA at the upcoming International Congress for Conservation Biology in Australia this year. I am submitting testimony in my personal capacity but speak from my experience as a postdoctoral researcher focused on marine governance, originally from Hawaiʻi Island and currently living on Oʻahu.
Kaʻuiki has deep knowledge of East Maui community concerns and the lands and waters of this region. He has demonstrated a commitment to speak up on behalf of his community, which will be key to his role on this Commission. He asks good questions to understand fisheries policy and the implications of different government activities and policies for his community. He is also easy to work with and I always appreciate his insights. I hope he has the opportunity to share his insights and care for East Maui as a representative on the Commission.
This letter is in full support for Criton Ka’uiki Lind of Kipahulu for the Maui County planning commission. He is the perfect candidate as he’s rooted in community grassroots initiatives that ensure pono stewardship practices. He is highly knowledgeable of wahi kupuna, wahi kapu and I have no doubt he will make decisions that are righteous.
Aloha Madam Chair U‘u-Hodgins and Member of the Committee,
I am writing to express my support for the nomination of Crichton Ka‘uiki Lind for the Maui Planning Commission.
I am writing only in my personal capacity, but citing some of my affiliations for reference of my own community involvement, and how I know and have worked with Ka‘uiki for over 20 years, primary in my role as the Executive Director for the Kipahulu Ohana, Inc. (KOI) where I served from 2003 to 2023. In that capacity, I supported the management of Kapahu Living Farm, as well as the development of the Kīpahulu Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA), which was formally designated by the State in 2024. I have continued to work with Ka‘uiki in my current role since 2023 as the Director for the Maui Marine Program of The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i and Palmyra. I also serve as the Chair for the Hāna Advisory Committee to the Maui Planning Commission, as well as a board director with several other nonprofit organizations in Hāna.
Among other roles, Ka‘uiki has helped host many school and community groups at Kapahu Living Farm, and has served as the guide of the cultural interpretive hike tours that KOI has hosted for visitors. He has an apparent love for history and culture, and a knack for storytelling and sharing that is engaging and educational.
Working with him on the Kīpahulu CBSFA, I always found Ka‘uiki to be incisive with his comments and questions, seeking to understand and be able to explain both the substance and the process of the rules package and management plan, and navigating the Chapter 91 administrative rulemaking process of the State. He often raises points or asks questions that bring in a perspective that no one else was thinking about, which can lead to new understandings and innovation solutions.
Since the designation of the CBSFA, Ka‘uiki has become the Makai Watch Coordinator for KOI, where his role is to interact with fishers and resource users, sharing information to encourage understanding and compliance. In this role, he works closely with DAR and DOCARE in a co-management relationship, and has demonstrated his ability to engage with these agencies in a respectful and constructive partnership.
I have observed that Ka‘uiki enjoys researching and reading history, policies and laws, an attribute that is essential for this role, and his recently acquired degree in Hawaiian-Pacific Studies will help prepare him well for serving on the Maui Planning Commission.
I encourage your support for Ka‘uiki’s nomination, and hope that he has the opportunity to bring his unique perspective and knowledge to represent East Maui on the Commission.
I have attached testimony in strong support of the appointment of Christopher Jon Elizares to the Maui County Planning Commission. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on this matter.
Aloha Chair and Committee Members,
My name is Lauryn Rego, and I’m writing to support CJ Elizares for a seat on the Maui Planning Commission.
CJ is not only a respected cultural practitioner but also someone deeply rooted in the values and responsibilities of aloha ʻāina. His understanding of place-based knowledge and his long-standing commitment to protecting Maui’s cultural and environmental resources make him exceptionally qualified to serve at this critical time.
The Planning Commission plays a vital role in shaping the future of our island, especially as we face interconnected crises of housing, climate, and community displacement. Yet, with multiple empty seats currently preventing the commission from meeting quorum and conducting essential business, the consequences of inaction are being felt in real time by members of the public, applicants, and our communities.
We need commissioners who bring integrity, cultural grounding, and a vision for balance and pono decision-making. CJ embodies all of these qualities.
Please move swiftly to confirm his appointment so the Planning Commission can resume its work with the benefit of CJ’s knowledge and perspective.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
Lauryn Rego
May 12, 2025
Maui County Council
Honorable chairperson Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and members of the Council
Mahalo for the opportunity to offer testimony to support Christopher Jon Elijares for a position on the Maui Planning Commission as the Native Cultural Practitioner for Upcountry Maui. I live on Kauaʻi and offer this perspective.
I have known “CJ” for many years, meeting and sharing time on Kahoʻolawe as part of the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana. Continuing with visiting many projects he has been involved with and leading on Maui thereafter. The depth of his knowledge and skillset in Native cultural practices combined with the deepest of love for the land he was born and raised in, has allowed his excellence to shine in service. His tireless efforts in serving community is coupled with deep insight that has been passed to him by a strong lineage of kupuna, teachers and mentors.
As he became a father to his 2 sonʻs he vision lifted horizonally to the world we leave for our children and their children. This vision feeds his commitment to finding balance for the land and her people.
His integrity and accountability is deeply rooted in cultural practice and vast knowledge of native plants and all ocean life. He is a natural leader whose courage has its foundation on recognizing what is Pono in a contemporary world that remembers indigenous practices.
I am honored and humbled to have watch his growth into positions of leadership as a true visionary for life now and in time to come on Maui. I strongly support his nomination and appointment as a Planning Commissioner for Maui Nui. I humbly ask the council to look directly into his heart and confirm his appointment.
Mahalo
Kelvin Ho
Testimony to the Maui County Council
RE: Opposition to the Appointment of CJ Elizares to the Maui Planning Commission
Date: May 13, 2025
Aloha Chair and Councilmembers,
My name is Kahele Dukelow, and I am submitting testimony in strong opposition to the appointment of CJ Elizares to the Maui Planning Commission.
While I recognize the importance of Native Hawaiian representation on decision-making bodies such as the Planning Commission, Mr. Elizares’ current professional entanglements present clear and substantial conflicts of interest that cannot be ignored. Mr. Elizares is employed by Makena ATC. This is particularly troubling as there are pending development approvals involving Makena ATC—projects that will come before the very commission he is being nominated to serve on.
Further compounding this concern is his consulting work for Cal Chipchase, who represents not only Makena ATC but also Peter Martin, a developer with ongoing and controversial projects in both Makena and Lahaina. These affiliations directly undermine the impartiality required for fair and community-centered decision-making on the commission.
If appointed, Mr. Elizares would be required to recuse himself from any discussions or votes on developments involving these interests. In doing so, Native Hawaiians and other concerned community members would effectively lose a crucial voice at the table—at a time when our participation in land-use decision-making is more important than ever.
We cannot allow representation to be symbolic only. True representation means being able to speak and vote on the critical issues that affect our ʻāina, our water, and our people. If Mr. Elizares is unable to do that due to professional obligations to developers, then he cannot fulfill the duties of a commissioner in service to the public trust.
I urge you to consider the long-term consequences of appointing individuals with conflicts of interest to our planning bodies. We need a Native Hawaiian representatives who will be able to be a part of these decision making processes. Please oppose this appointment.
Mahalo for your time and commitment to our shared future.
Aloha Chair and Members of the GREAT Committee,
Mahalo for the opportunity to provide testimony regarding the pending appointments to the Maui Planning Commission.
I submit this testimony to respectfully underscore the immense importance of these appointments and to emphasize the critical responsibility entrusted to the Maui Planning Commission particularly as the designated authority for Coastal Zone Management in the County of Maui.
This is not a symbolic role. The Commission holds binding decision-making power over shoreline development, Special Management Area (SMA) permits, and land use decisions that directly shape our communities, ecosystems, and resilience to climate change.
As outlined in County law, the Maui Planning Commission:
Advises the Mayor, County Council, and Planning Director on planning programs;
Reviews and provides recommendations on the general plan and land use ordinances;
Acts as the final authority on matters relating to the Coastal Zone Management Law;
And adopts rules that have long-lasting impacts on how we manage growth and protect our natural and cultural resources.
With this authority comes great responsibility especially at a time when Maui faces intensifying threats from sea level rise, chronic coastal erosion, and climate-related displacement. The decisions made by this body will either preserve or jeopardize our beaches, public access, cultural landscapes, and the safety of future generations.
It is therefore essential that appointments to the Planning Commission reflect a deep understanding of:
Coastal hazards and climate adaptation, including managed retreat, landward migration of beaches, and the harms caused by seawalls;
The public trust doctrine and the obligation to preserve beaches for future generations;
And a commitment to community-based, culturally respectful planning that aligns with the West Maui and broader Maui Island Community Plans.
I respectfully ask that the Council carefully vet each applicant using the following questions, which reflect the depth of knowledge and judgment required for this critical position:
Recommended Questions for Maui Planning Commission Applicants
1. Understanding of Coastal Hazards & Sea Level Rise
What is your understanding of how sea level rise and chronic coastal erosion are expected to impact Maui’s shorelines over the coming decades?
How familiar are you with the State of Hawai‘i’s Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report (2017) and its relevance to planning decisions?
2. Policy Perspectives on Shoreline Development
Do you believe that new development and redevelopment should be allowed in areas identified as vulnerable to sea level rise and erosion? Why or why not?
How would you weigh private property rights against the public trust obligation to protect beaches and coastal access?
3. Managed Retreat(Strategic Relocation) and Adaptation Strategies
What is your perspective on "managed retreat or strategic relocation” as a long-term adaptation strategy for coastal communities? Do you support policies that require shoreline structures to eventually relocate inland?
What kinds of incentives or regulatory tools do you think the County should explore to facilitate managed retreat?
4. Seawalls and Shoreline Hardening
Are you aware of the ecological impacts of seawalls and revetments on beach ecosystems and natural sand movement?
Would you support or oppose the permitting of fixing or constructing seawall/revetments/sandbags in areas where beaches are already eroding? Under what circumstances, if any, would you consider shoreline hardening to be appropriate?
5. Public Trust and Landward Migration
How do you interpret the State’s public trust doctrine as it applies to protecting beaches for landward migration in response to rising seas?
In your view, what are the Planning Commission’s responsibilities when balancing community resilience with development pressures along the shoreline?
6. Community and Cultural Impacts
How would you incorporate Native Hawaiian cultural practices and traditional ecological knowledge into decisions affecting coastal areas?
What role should local communities play in shaping adaptation policies for their shorelines? How does public testimony and consultation affect your decision making?
7. Decision-Making Under Uncertainty
Coastal zone management often involves complex trade-offs and uncertain projections. How would you approach decision-making when scientific information points to long-term risk, but immediate economic or political pressures suggest development?
Mahalo for your leadership, your commitment to rigorous vetting, and your efforts to ensure that those serving on the Maui Planning Commission are fully prepared to steward our coastal resources with integrity, wisdom, and long-term vision.
Mahalo,
Kai Nishiki
Aloha Chair and Members of the Government Relations, Ethics, and Transparency (GREAT) Committee,
I write this testimony to strongly oppose the approval of Christopher Jon (CJ) Elizares to the Maui Planning Commission on the basis of ethics and responsibility. His appointment raises significant concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest, the integrity of the commission, and public trust in our local government. CJ Elizares is in a romantic relationship with Ashley Lindsey, who currently serves on the Maui Planning Commission. Appointing both individuals to serve simultaneously on the same body—especially one tasked with making high-stakes decisions about land use—creates an unacceptable dynamic that undermines public confidence in fair and impartial governance.
Additionally, Ashley Lindsey's family owns considerable land on Maui and has been actively involved in local development for years. Any decisions made by the Planning Commission could directly or indirectly affect her and her family's financial interests. Furthermore, CJ Elizares has known connections to the Mākena Golf & Beach Club (via Mākena ʻŌiwi Resources & Stewardship), a luxury real estate development owned by Discovery Land Company. Discovery is a global firm known for creating exclusive, master-planned resort communities that have already sparked concerns about overdevelopment, displacement, and lack of community benefit here in Hawaiʻi. The connection between a planning commissioner and a high-end luxury developer—especially in tandem with a partner who also sits on the commission—presents an undeniable ethical concern.
My intent is not to disparage, but to uphold the standards of ethical governance that Maui County residents deserve.This is about ensuring that those who are appointed to serve the people of Maui do so without bias, without divided loyalties, and with a clear commitment to transparency and ethical standards. The commission must be representative of community interests, not private agendas or personal relationships that create the appearance—or reality—of undue influence.
I respectfully urge the GREAT Committee reject CJ Elizares' appointment and to carefully review and strengthen ethical safeguards around commission appointments. This includes establishing clear conflict-of-interest policies that address romantic, familial, and financial connections between current and incoming members. Our community deserves a planning commission that the public can trust to operate with independence and integrity.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
A concerned born-and-raised Maui citizen
Aloha mai members of the Maui County Government Relations, Ethics, and Transparency Committee,
We are Olan Leimomi Fisher and Kevin Chang, Kuaʻāina Advocate and Executive Director, respectively, testifying on behalf of Kua‘āina Ulu ʻAuamo (or KUA). “Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo” stands for “grassroots growing through shared responsibility,” and our acronym “KUA” means “backbone.” Our mission is to connect and empower communities to improve their quality of life through the collective care for their biocultural (natural and cultural) heritage, serving as a “backbone organization” that supports creative and community-driven solutions to problems stemming from environmental degradation. Hawaiʻi’s biocultural resources continue to be negatively impacted by political, economic, and social changes, and the increasing dangers of climate change make fostering and empowering resilient communities acutely critical. We strongly support the nomination of Crichton Kaʻuiki Lind to the Maui Planning Commission for the County of Maui through Resolution 25-108, and urge you to do the same.
Currently KUA supports three major networks of: (1) over 40 mālama ʻāina (caring for our ʻāina or “that which feeds”) community groups collectively referred to as E Alu Pū (moving forward together); (2) over 60 loko iʻa (fishpond aquaculture systems unique to Hawaiʻi) and wai ‘ōpae (anchialine pool systems) sites in varying stages of restoration and development, with numerous caretakers, stakeholders, and volunteers known as the Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa (“caretakers of fishponds”); and (3) the Limu Hui made up of over 50 loea (traditional experts) and practitioners in all things “limu” or locally-grown “seaweed.” Our shared vision is to once again experience what our kūpuna (ancestors) referred to as ʻĀINA MOMONA – abundant and healthy ecological systems that sustain our community resilience and well-being.
We have worked with Kaʻuiki for several years now, as he is an active member of our Lawaiʻa Pono Hui, an offshoot working group of our larger E Alu Pū network with a focus on policy issues for nearshore resources and communities. KUA has a long history with Kaʻuiki’s larger community in Kīpahulu, Maui, with our organization itself founded in part by kūpuna of Kīpahulu ‘Ohana, Inc., including some of Kaʻuiki’s own ʻohana. We strongly supported the recent establishment of the Kīpahulu Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA), as we have similar efforts to establish CBSFAs in places like Hāʻena, Moʻomomi, and Miloliʻi through our networking and capacity building activities.
Kaʻuiki and the rest of Kīpahulu ʻOhana were integral to the establishment of the Kīpahulu CBSFA. He currently serves as the CBSFA Makai Watch Coordinator and is also a member of the Kīpahulu and Kaupō Community Associations. It is undisputed that Kaʻuiki holds extensive traditional knowledge of his home through his own kilo (observational science) and inherited knowledge through his deep ancestral ties to Maui as both a lawaiʻa (fisher) and mahiʻai (farmer) for kalo and other vegetables. We have also seen Kaʻuiki consistently display strong passion, dedication, and aloha for his beloved home on Maui and other communities across the paeʻāina (Hawaiian Islands). We strongly believe in his ability to advocate for ʻāina momona (abundance) in his community for future generations to love and enjoy. For all these reasons and more, Kaʻuiki clearly possesses more than the required experience and background to effectively serve on the Maui Planning Commission.
The communities we work with are committed to ensuring the long-term health of our biocultural resources that they have cared for and depended on for generations since time immemorial. We believe our environment, the foundation of our very existence and “that which feeds” us all, requires long-term investment through a shared vision of achieving ʻāina momona (abundance) once again. Getting there requires increased mālama ʻāina (caring for our environment) leadership, awareness, and advocacy. This includes nominations for leaders like Kaʻuiki Lind to the Maui Planning Commission. Our decisions today will continue to shape the future that our keiki’s keiki’s keiki will one day inherit – we hope for a future of shared and harmonious abundance, and hope you do, too.
Mahalo nui loa for considering our testimony. Please support Kaʻuiki’s nomination and pass Resolution 25-108.
E aloha 'āina momona kākou.
Let us all work to increase abundance in our precious and sacred ʻāina.
Me ke aloha,
Kevin Chang (Executive Director) and Olan Leimomi Fisher (Kuaʻāina Advocate)
Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo (KUA)
Aloha Chair Uʻu Hodgins and Committee Members,
I am writing in strong support of Crichton Kaʻuiki Lind for the Maui Planning Commission. I have known Kaʻuiki through his work on the Kīpahulu CBSFA and through our recent work to prepare to share about his CBSFA at the upcoming International Congress for Conservation Biology in Australia this year. I am submitting testimony in my personal capacity but speak from my experience as a postdoctoral researcher focused on marine governance, originally from Hawaiʻi Island and currently living on Oʻahu.
Kaʻuiki has deep knowledge of East Maui community concerns and the lands and waters of this region. He has demonstrated a commitment to speak up on behalf of his community, which will be key to his role on this Commission. He asks good questions to understand fisheries policy and the implications of different government activities and policies for his community. He is also easy to work with and I always appreciate his insights. I hope he has the opportunity to share his insights and care for East Maui as a representative on the Commission.
Mahalo for your consideration.
Amber Datta, PhD
Hawaiʻi resident
Aloha Mai kākou,
This letter is in full support for Criton Ka’uiki Lind of Kipahulu for the Maui County planning commission. He is the perfect candidate as he’s rooted in community grassroots initiatives that ensure pono stewardship practices. He is highly knowledgeable of wahi kupuna, wahi kapu and I have no doubt he will make decisions that are righteous.
Mahalo for your consideration,
Na’u
Kēhaunani Springer
Aloha Madam Chair U‘u-Hodgins and Member of the Committee,
I am writing to express my support for the nomination of Crichton Ka‘uiki Lind for the Maui Planning Commission.
I am writing only in my personal capacity, but citing some of my affiliations for reference of my own community involvement, and how I know and have worked with Ka‘uiki for over 20 years, primary in my role as the Executive Director for the Kipahulu Ohana, Inc. (KOI) where I served from 2003 to 2023. In that capacity, I supported the management of Kapahu Living Farm, as well as the development of the Kīpahulu Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA), which was formally designated by the State in 2024. I have continued to work with Ka‘uiki in my current role since 2023 as the Director for the Maui Marine Program of The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i and Palmyra. I also serve as the Chair for the Hāna Advisory Committee to the Maui Planning Commission, as well as a board director with several other nonprofit organizations in Hāna.
Among other roles, Ka‘uiki has helped host many school and community groups at Kapahu Living Farm, and has served as the guide of the cultural interpretive hike tours that KOI has hosted for visitors. He has an apparent love for history and culture, and a knack for storytelling and sharing that is engaging and educational.
Working with him on the Kīpahulu CBSFA, I always found Ka‘uiki to be incisive with his comments and questions, seeking to understand and be able to explain both the substance and the process of the rules package and management plan, and navigating the Chapter 91 administrative rulemaking process of the State. He often raises points or asks questions that bring in a perspective that no one else was thinking about, which can lead to new understandings and innovation solutions.
Since the designation of the CBSFA, Ka‘uiki has become the Makai Watch Coordinator for KOI, where his role is to interact with fishers and resource users, sharing information to encourage understanding and compliance. In this role, he works closely with DAR and DOCARE in a co-management relationship, and has demonstrated his ability to engage with these agencies in a respectful and constructive partnership.
I have observed that Ka‘uiki enjoys researching and reading history, policies and laws, an attribute that is essential for this role, and his recently acquired degree in Hawaiian-Pacific Studies will help prepare him well for serving on the Maui Planning Commission.
I encourage your support for Ka‘uiki’s nomination, and hope that he has the opportunity to bring his unique perspective and knowledge to represent East Maui on the Commission.
Mahalo for your consideration,
Scott Crawford
Hana resident
I have attached testimony in strong support of the appointment of Christopher Jon Elizares to the Maui County Planning Commission. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on this matter.