HLU-17 BILL 89 (2026) BILL 89 (2026), BILL 90 (2026), AND BILL 91 (2026), DISTRICT BOUNDARY AMENDMENT, COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDMENT, AND CHANGE IN ZONING FOR A 6.097-ACRE PORTION OF TAX MAP KEY (2) 2-7-007:008, HAMAKUALOA, HAWAI?I (HA?IK? FIRE STATION) (HLU-17)
From: joshhottenstein (null) <joshhottenstein@aol.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 4, 2026 2:38:02 PM (UTC-10:00) Hawaii
To: HLU Committee
Subject: Haiku fire station
[You don't often get email from joshhottenstein@aol.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
I’m a resident of Haiku for 36 years. We definitely need a fire station. I fully support a Haiku fire station.
Josh Hottenstein
126O Kauhikoa rd. Haiku Hi. 96708
8082819396
TO: Honorable Chair and Members, Housing and Land Use Committee
RE: HLU-17, Bills 89, 90 and 91 (2026), Ha‘iku Fire Station
POSITION: SUPPORT
Aloha,
My name is Justin Mors, I am a firefighter for MFD working at Station 1 in Wailuku. I support Bills 89, 90, and 91 and a fire station in Haiku. As a firefighter I know the importance of a rapid response to a scene. Whether its responding to someone in cardiac arrest or to a fire every second matters. The nearest stations to respond to the Haiku area are Paia and Makawao, if those stations are on another call then it's Kahului. The community would greatly benefit from a fire station in Haiku. Our department is long over due to open another station. The most recent station opened in Wailea 24 years ago. Since then Maui has grown tremendously, and continues to. Passing this bill and opening a fire station in Haiku is a great first step to ensure that the community of Haiku and Maui can receive the care and timely response they need during an emergency. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Attn: Housing and Land Use Committee
Sibject: HLU-17, Bills 89, 90 and 91 (2026), Parcel Rezoning for Development of Ha‘iku Fire Station
POSITION: SUPPORT
Aloha kākou Chair and Members,
My name is Bradley Liu and I have been with Maui Fire Dept for 13 years. I write to you in support of the aforementioned bills regarding the rezoning of a county parcel that is proposed for the future use of a fire station. As a born and raised Maui resident and member of MFD, the need for another station and its value to our community is obvious. Many other have echoed those sentiments and provided valuable experiences to give a “why”.
As a native Hawaiian, I am sensitive to native rights and land claims. I have witnessed firsthand family members stand up for kuleana lands and fight to prove their rights. These can be lengthy processes that require time and money. While I am in full support of verifying ownership claims on land parcels, neither the time or money needed to verify those things eliminates the current need for a fire station and additional emergency services in the community that improve safety and well being of residents and visitors.
As a current plan reviewer for the Maui Fire Dept., I have some insight to the actual purposes of the bills…..rezoning of a portion of the parcel/changing the land use designation. The process of changing from AG zoning to RURAL/QUASI PUBLIC should not serve as bureaucratic red tape for something as significant as improved emergency services in the community. The specific rezoning proposal of these bills would provide the needed LUD for the development of a fire station. For any contested ownership claimants, it would actually improve structural development potential in the future should any contested titles come to fruition. As such, it seems counterintuitive to delay rezoning that could continue momentum towards improved emergency services. If residents that oppose this bill provide contested titles and are successful in claims, the newly proposed zoning would allow them the ability to build more homes for their ‘ohana. Regardless of the side of the fence you stand on, I am having a hard time seeing a reason as to why this should be delayed for any reason. Changing the zoning of the land right now does not impact contested claims and the process that ensues…..it simply designates the land as needed should development of a fire station happen in the future.
Mahalo for taking the time, and regardless of the outcome, we appreciate the council’s willingness to hear our voice in coming to a decision.
My name is Scott Martin andI’m writing in support of the haiku fire station. As a firefighter and a part-time resident on the east side, a fire station would greatly increase this survivability of many of our residents when a cardiac arrest occurs you have six minutes to save that person. A unit responding from Makawao or Paia takes too long to get to places in haiku. Should a brushfire or a structure fire happen having a fire station in haiku would mean the world in saving a property. It is a shame that the county purchased this property probably over 10 years ago and only now this topic has come up to rezone a portion of the property for the fire station. I find it very crazy that the county who owns the property has to go in front of the county to get permission to change the zoning. Politics are ridiculous. I hope this testimony today is enough to finally get this project moving forward.
A medic unit would be beneficial at the same location to also support that area.
God bless you all Aloha.
I Kawailani Kimokeo a resident of Ke’anae strongly support this bill. Having a fire station in Hana and Paia takes a toll on the in between places. Hana team is responsible from Kaupō to Ke’anae . While paia has their jurisdiction. In times of an emergency it’s tough one to call because we have limited resources out here. I hope this can happen 🙏🏽
Please vote to support bills 89 90 and 91 to rezone land for the future Haiku Fire Station The station is needed for the north shore community. Mahalo. Ian Fisher
Haiku Fire station is critically needed. Response times from the Paia station to haiku, huelo, Kailua and beyond are sometimes over 30 minutes. We need quick response for life threatening emergencies and fires. Please support the haiku Fire station plans.
I absolutely support the Haiku Fire Station at its planned location! It is a long time coming. Being a retired EMT that worked for the Maui County 911 EMS system for 25 years,I know first hand how important it is to have a Fire Station on Haiku.
My name is Patrick Hawana Blackburn. I am a Captain with the Maui Fire Department. I have served the Maui community for the last 18 years. I strongly support the Haiku Fire Station. It has been 24 yrs since MFD last expanded. In that time, Maui's population has increased. Subdivisions and new homes have been built, but our department has remained the same. In order to provide the appropriate level of service our community deserves, our department must keep pace with the community sprawl. 24 years since our last update is crazy. Reality is we need Haiku station, Olowalu station, and at least 1-2 more fire stations for Central and West Maui. Building Haiku Fire station would be a start. Let's do it for our community, our people, and our firefighters. This project is long overdue. Mahalo for your time!
Patrick Hawana Blackburn
Captain - Wailea Station
Maui Fire Department
As a former Firefighter at the Makawao Fire Station, the addition of a fire station in Haiku would greatly spread out the number of calls and distance covered for both the Paia and Makawao firefighters. Calls occurring in the Haiku district are often lengthy, complex (access), and dynamic (rivers, cliffs, ocean, mountain), and allowing an additional station would greatly reduce response time and increase district specialty. Often response to a middle of the night call can take over an hour to respond to and an hour to respond back, increasing risk, and reducing the already stressed sleep schedules of our firefighters. This plan has been in place for decades and getting it completed would greatly benefit our community and our first responders. Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Having only one fire station serving Maui’s North Shore limits emergency response times for residents, businesses, and visitors. The Paia Fire Station is regularly stretched responding from Paia to deep Haiku, Huelo, and frequent tourist calls along the Hana Highway, leaving our community more vulnerable when help is needed.
A new fire station in Haiku is long overdue. With continued population growth, new development, and multiple schools throughout the North Shore, our firefighters are being asked to cover too large of an area with limited resources.
Please help support our firefighters so they can better support and protect our community. Thank you!
As a trained firefighter who completed the recruit training academy on Maui, I am writing to express my strong support for the construction of a dedicated fire station in Haiku.
Having trained alongside Maui's firefighters, I know firsthand the dedication and skill they bring to protecting the island. Equipping them with the infrastructure needed to reach Haiku residents quickly isn't just an operational improvement, it is a necessary investment in community safety.
Respectfully,
Jordan Baker
Firefighter / Graduate, Maui Fire Training Academy
My name is Kaiea Mullalley. Please support the community with the Haiku Fire station. My father is a fire fighter. Having another fire station on Maui will help keep the community and the fire fighters safer.
Thank you,
Kaiea Mulllalley
Kahului resident, 18 years
I'm a fire fighter with MFD and I support the building of the Haiku station. Currently the Paia and Hana fire stations split the distance between them and it could take quite a while for crews to respond to someone deep in Haiku. Also with a huge majority of car fires being in that district, it would make sense to have a crew near by to respond quickly.
Please support Haiku station. It’s been in the works since I first became a firefighter 19 years ago. We need this. Haiku is under served.
Needed for this community
From: joshhottenstein (null) <joshhottenstein@aol.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 4, 2026 2:38:02 PM (UTC-10:00) Hawaii
To: HLU Committee
Subject: Haiku fire station
[You don't often get email from joshhottenstein@aol.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
I’m a resident of Haiku for 36 years. We definitely need a fire station. I fully support a Haiku fire station.
Josh Hottenstein
126O Kauhikoa rd. Haiku Hi. 96708
8082819396
TO: Honorable Chair and Members, Housing and Land Use Committee
RE: HLU-17, Bills 89, 90 and 91 (2026), Ha‘iku Fire Station
POSITION: SUPPORT
Aloha,
My name is Justin Mors, I am a firefighter for MFD working at Station 1 in Wailuku. I support Bills 89, 90, and 91 and a fire station in Haiku. As a firefighter I know the importance of a rapid response to a scene. Whether its responding to someone in cardiac arrest or to a fire every second matters. The nearest stations to respond to the Haiku area are Paia and Makawao, if those stations are on another call then it's Kahului. The community would greatly benefit from a fire station in Haiku. Our department is long over due to open another station. The most recent station opened in Wailea 24 years ago. Since then Maui has grown tremendously, and continues to. Passing this bill and opening a fire station in Haiku is a great first step to ensure that the community of Haiku and Maui can receive the care and timely response they need during an emergency. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Christina Tarin
Attn: Housing and Land Use Committee
Sibject: HLU-17, Bills 89, 90 and 91 (2026), Parcel Rezoning for Development of Ha‘iku Fire Station
POSITION: SUPPORT
Aloha kākou Chair and Members,
My name is Bradley Liu and I have been with Maui Fire Dept for 13 years. I write to you in support of the aforementioned bills regarding the rezoning of a county parcel that is proposed for the future use of a fire station. As a born and raised Maui resident and member of MFD, the need for another station and its value to our community is obvious. Many other have echoed those sentiments and provided valuable experiences to give a “why”.
As a native Hawaiian, I am sensitive to native rights and land claims. I have witnessed firsthand family members stand up for kuleana lands and fight to prove their rights. These can be lengthy processes that require time and money. While I am in full support of verifying ownership claims on land parcels, neither the time or money needed to verify those things eliminates the current need for a fire station and additional emergency services in the community that improve safety and well being of residents and visitors.
As a current plan reviewer for the Maui Fire Dept., I have some insight to the actual purposes of the bills…..rezoning of a portion of the parcel/changing the land use designation. The process of changing from AG zoning to RURAL/QUASI PUBLIC should not serve as bureaucratic red tape for something as significant as improved emergency services in the community. The specific rezoning proposal of these bills would provide the needed LUD for the development of a fire station. For any contested ownership claimants, it would actually improve structural development potential in the future should any contested titles come to fruition. As such, it seems counterintuitive to delay rezoning that could continue momentum towards improved emergency services. If residents that oppose this bill provide contested titles and are successful in claims, the newly proposed zoning would allow them the ability to build more homes for their ‘ohana. Regardless of the side of the fence you stand on, I am having a hard time seeing a reason as to why this should be delayed for any reason. Changing the zoning of the land right now does not impact contested claims and the process that ensues…..it simply designates the land as needed should development of a fire station happen in the future.
Mahalo for taking the time, and regardless of the outcome, we appreciate the council’s willingness to hear our voice in coming to a decision.
Bradley Liu
Lieutenant - Fire Prevention Bureau
My name is Scott Martin andI’m writing in support of the haiku fire station. As a firefighter and a part-time resident on the east side, a fire station would greatly increase this survivability of many of our residents when a cardiac arrest occurs you have six minutes to save that person. A unit responding from Makawao or Paia takes too long to get to places in haiku. Should a brushfire or a structure fire happen having a fire station in haiku would mean the world in saving a property. It is a shame that the county purchased this property probably over 10 years ago and only now this topic has come up to rezone a portion of the property for the fire station. I find it very crazy that the county who owns the property has to go in front of the county to get permission to change the zoning. Politics are ridiculous. I hope this testimony today is enough to finally get this project moving forward.
A medic unit would be beneficial at the same location to also support that area.
God bless you all Aloha.
I Kawailani Kimokeo a resident of Ke’anae strongly support this bill. Having a fire station in Hana and Paia takes a toll on the in between places. Hana team is responsible from Kaupō to Ke’anae . While paia has their jurisdiction. In times of an emergency it’s tough one to call because we have limited resources out here. I hope this can happen 🙏🏽
Please vote to support bills 89 90 and 91 to rezone land for the future Haiku Fire Station The station is needed for the north shore community. Mahalo. Ian Fisher
Haiku Fire station is critically needed. Response times from the Paia station to haiku, huelo, Kailua and beyond are sometimes over 30 minutes. We need quick response for life threatening emergencies and fires. Please support the haiku Fire station plans.
I absolutely support the Haiku Fire Station at its planned location! It is a long time coming. Being a retired EMT that worked for the Maui County 911 EMS system for 25 years,I know first hand how important it is to have a Fire Station on Haiku.
Completely support our fire dept having a station in haiku- it’s been 17 years! This would help the Hana community so much
We need a fire station in haiku
I support the building of a Ha’iku Fire Station
Aloha,
My name is Patrick Hawana Blackburn. I am a Captain with the Maui Fire Department. I have served the Maui community for the last 18 years. I strongly support the Haiku Fire Station. It has been 24 yrs since MFD last expanded. In that time, Maui's population has increased. Subdivisions and new homes have been built, but our department has remained the same. In order to provide the appropriate level of service our community deserves, our department must keep pace with the community sprawl. 24 years since our last update is crazy. Reality is we need Haiku station, Olowalu station, and at least 1-2 more fire stations for Central and West Maui. Building Haiku Fire station would be a start. Let's do it for our community, our people, and our firefighters. This project is long overdue. Mahalo for your time!
Patrick Hawana Blackburn
Captain - Wailea Station
Maui Fire Department
Aloha,
As a former Firefighter at the Makawao Fire Station, the addition of a fire station in Haiku would greatly spread out the number of calls and distance covered for both the Paia and Makawao firefighters. Calls occurring in the Haiku district are often lengthy, complex (access), and dynamic (rivers, cliffs, ocean, mountain), and allowing an additional station would greatly reduce response time and increase district specialty. Often response to a middle of the night call can take over an hour to respond to and an hour to respond back, increasing risk, and reducing the already stressed sleep schedules of our firefighters. This plan has been in place for decades and getting it completed would greatly benefit our community and our first responders. Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Having only one fire station serving Maui’s North Shore limits emergency response times for residents, businesses, and visitors. The Paia Fire Station is regularly stretched responding from Paia to deep Haiku, Huelo, and frequent tourist calls along the Hana Highway, leaving our community more vulnerable when help is needed.
A new fire station in Haiku is long overdue. With continued population growth, new development, and multiple schools throughout the North Shore, our firefighters are being asked to cover too large of an area with limited resources.
Please help support our firefighters so they can better support and protect our community. Thank you!
As a trained firefighter who completed the recruit training academy on Maui, I am writing to express my strong support for the construction of a dedicated fire station in Haiku.
Having trained alongside Maui's firefighters, I know firsthand the dedication and skill they bring to protecting the island. Equipping them with the infrastructure needed to reach Haiku residents quickly isn't just an operational improvement, it is a necessary investment in community safety.
Respectfully,
Jordan Baker
Firefighter / Graduate, Maui Fire Training Academy
Aloha,
My name is Kaiea Mullalley. Please support the community with the Haiku Fire station. My father is a fire fighter. Having another fire station on Maui will help keep the community and the fire fighters safer.
Thank you,
Kaiea Mulllalley
Kahului resident, 18 years
I'm a fire fighter with MFD and I support the building of the Haiku station. Currently the Paia and Hana fire stations split the distance between them and it could take quite a while for crews to respond to someone deep in Haiku. Also with a huge majority of car fires being in that district, it would make sense to have a crew near by to respond quickly.