THIS IS A VIOLATION TO HRS!!!!!! On an international level!!! THE original title holders of the Mahele ARE THE OWNERS!!! And have never been contacted!! And havent gotten their lands returned to them from the first buyer of that land !!!!!! HIGHLY ILLEGAL DEVELOPMENT THE DESCENDANTS OF THE ROYAL PATTENTED ALLODIAL TITLED LAND HAS NEVER GAVE AUTHORITY TO DEVELOP ANY OF THOSE SPACES!!!!! YOU WILL BE DISPLACING MANY MORE KANAKA OHANA!!!!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak.
My name is Wayne Levin. I’m here as a homeowner at Keala O Wailea
I support the compromise proposed by the Wailea Community Association.
My wife Michelle and I started coming to Maui more than 25 years ago. We fell in love with this island and with the feeling of ohana and community that made Maui different from anywhere else we traveled.
Five years ago, we bought our home in Wailea, and Maui has become an important part of our family’s life.
We have felt so welcomed here and genuinely feel part of this community.
That is why the WCA proposal makes so much sense to me.
It gives something to everyone while minimizing the impact on existing residents.
Wailea Golf can develop. The compromise allows development on the Emerald Course. We are not asking that nothing ever change.
There is already substantial additional development contemplated throughout Wailea and South Maui.
So the choice is not development or no development. It is where development should occur and how much disruption existing communities should be asked to absorb.
The WCA compromise preserves the Blue Course.
That distinction matters.
The Blue winds through the heart of established Wailea. It is more than fifty years old and was one of the original anchors around which this community developed. Numerous residential communities surround it, and many homeowners live directly adjacent to or overlook that open space.
The Emerald is different.
Far fewer existing homes immediately adjoin it.
Concentrating development there therefore allows meaningful development while directly affecting substantially fewer existing residents.
That seems to me exactly what a compromise should accomplish.
Developing the Blue by contrast would affect far more established neighborhoods and also raises serious questions about traffic, water, infrastructure and emergency access.
Nobody gets everything they want in a compromise.
Wailea Golf doesn’t.
The residents don’t.
But Wailea Golf gets meaningful development opportunities, the community preserves the Blue and Gold Courses, and substantially fewer existing homeowners are directly affected. Most importantly, the public and people win.
That is a fair compromise.
Michelle and I respectfully ask you to support it and preserve the Blue Course.
Mahalo, and thank you.
I am Steve Bichich and I testified last Monday in support of the revised Wailea Golf’s plan submitted to the DRIP committee by the Wailea Community Association (WCA).
I am testifying today because I heard Wailea Golf’s testimony about their plan and how great it was and met all of these lofty goals for Wailea except two very important ones.
First, Wailea Golf’s plan doesn’t have Wailea-wide community support, and secondly, Wailea Golf’s plan doesn’t keep two 18-hole championship golf courses.
In terms of community support, since it is my understanding that the Wailea Golf’s plan was not introduced at the Community Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) review level, so the Wailea community did not have the same opportunity to review, question, provide testimony on, and potentially help shape Wailea Golf’s plan during the CPAC phase as it would have had Wailea Golf’s plan been introduced at that stage. This took away a major community focused review of Wailea Golf’s plan.
The WCA’s Revised Plan not only has broad community support but also meets all of Wailea Golf’s stated goals of benefiting the Community, building housing including workforce housing, transportation improvements, infrastructure and amenities that serve the community’s need and develop the community’s trust.
WCA’s Revised Plan does all of this with broad community support with the Hotels, AOAO’s and HOA’s. Additionally, the WCA’s Revised Plan keeps two 18-hole championship golf courses which are the heart and soul of Wailea. Or as Wailea Golf’s own website states – “the Gold Course is the pinnacle of the Wailea Golf experience, but the Wailea Blue is the true and original heart of Wailea. The Blue is the way to get to know this place”. How can Wailea Golf’s own plan denigrate the Blue Course, the “true and original heart of Wailea”.
I urge to you to keep the heart whole which the WCA’s Revised plan does as it keeps both the Blue and Gold courses intact and still meets the other objectives of Wailea Golf’s overall plan.
The question I have to ask you is – why would you pick a plan that the community doesn’t support and will mostly likely fight it at every turn from a legal standpoint which could delay the project for years when you can adopt a revised plan that meets the Wailea Golf’s original plan intent and that has broad community wide support.
Thank you for your consideration.
Steve Bichich
47 Wailea Gateway Pl, Unit 103
Kihei, HI 96753
My name is Don Carlson and provide this testimony as a resident of Keale O Wailea and want to follow up on some of the testimony that has taken place since I testified in person on Monday September 28th.
Mr Chan testified on Wednesday the 30th that the WG Plan was developed by extensive community outreach and involvement. That is not accurate or at least a gross overstatement. WG never reached out to any of the residents of KOW, where I reside, during the planning process. I don’t know if that was intentional or an oversight but it does seem convenient that they would not reach out to us, the development most affected by their plans to eliminate the open space directly in front of us. I contrast that with Ledcor which did involve our KOW community on their plans for Workforce housing right below us and as a result obtained our strong support for that development.
We only learned of the WG plans after several of our owners attended the WAC annual meeting in March of 2025 but by then it was too late to have any meaningful input. In fact, it is my understanding that WG did not submit their plans to CPAC where it could have received community input. And based on the strong negative reaction Mr Chan received at the Annual meeting, I seriously doubt that WG has the support of any Wailea residents. In fact I know of no Wailea resident that supports the WG plan nor have I read or heard of any Wailea resident submitting testimony in support.
I also believe that WG’s written description of their plan is deceptive or at least misleading. Their plan claims it is only eliminating one Championship course. That is not true. As I explained to Chairperson Paltin last Wednesday, a Championship course is one that generally has 18 holes and a par of 70 or 72. Wailea Golf themselves market all three of their courses as Championship courses. On its official X (Twitter) profile it states:
“Wailea Golf Club’s championship Gold, Emerald and Blue courses on the island of Maui boast breathtaking ocean views from every hole”
Their Trip Advisor overview (which they submit) states “The Wailea Golf Club is home to three championship golf courses, the Gold, Emerald and Blue.
One only has to look at their Plan map and you can see what they propose effectively removes two. The Emerald would be completely removed and the Blue (“the heart of Wailea”) is eliminated as a Championship course by removing holes 4, 13 and 15 and cutting up holes 1, 5, 9, and 16. Thus, their plan really removes 2 Championship courses and leaves just one, the Gold course, which will undoubtably be turned into a private course. The WCA Plan is the Plan that removes only one Championship course and keeps two. And having two Championship courses is vitally important for tourists and conventions as well as for the many charitable golf tournaments held on the Blue course.
I urge this Committee to reject the Wailea Golf Plan.
THIS IS A VIOLATION TO HRS!!!!!! On an international level!!! THE original title holders of the Mahele ARE THE OWNERS!!! And have never been contacted!! And havent gotten their lands returned to them from the first buyer of that land !!!!!! HIGHLY ILLEGAL DEVELOPMENT THE DESCENDANTS OF THE ROYAL PATTENTED ALLODIAL TITLED LAND HAS NEVER GAVE AUTHORITY TO DEVELOP ANY OF THOSE SPACES!!!!! YOU WILL BE DISPLACING MANY MORE KANAKA OHANA!!!!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak.
My name is Wayne Levin. I’m here as a homeowner at Keala O Wailea
I support the compromise proposed by the Wailea Community Association.
My wife Michelle and I started coming to Maui more than 25 years ago. We fell in love with this island and with the feeling of ohana and community that made Maui different from anywhere else we traveled.
Five years ago, we bought our home in Wailea, and Maui has become an important part of our family’s life.
We have felt so welcomed here and genuinely feel part of this community.
That is why the WCA proposal makes so much sense to me.
It gives something to everyone while minimizing the impact on existing residents.
Wailea Golf can develop. The compromise allows development on the Emerald Course. We are not asking that nothing ever change.
There is already substantial additional development contemplated throughout Wailea and South Maui.
So the choice is not development or no development. It is where development should occur and how much disruption existing communities should be asked to absorb.
The WCA compromise preserves the Blue Course.
That distinction matters.
The Blue winds through the heart of established Wailea. It is more than fifty years old and was one of the original anchors around which this community developed. Numerous residential communities surround it, and many homeowners live directly adjacent to or overlook that open space.
The Emerald is different.
Far fewer existing homes immediately adjoin it.
Concentrating development there therefore allows meaningful development while directly affecting substantially fewer existing residents.
That seems to me exactly what a compromise should accomplish.
Developing the Blue by contrast would affect far more established neighborhoods and also raises serious questions about traffic, water, infrastructure and emergency access.
Nobody gets everything they want in a compromise.
Wailea Golf doesn’t.
The residents don’t.
But Wailea Golf gets meaningful development opportunities, the community preserves the Blue and Gold Courses, and substantially fewer existing homeowners are directly affected. Most importantly, the public and people win.
That is a fair compromise.
Michelle and I respectfully ask you to support it and preserve the Blue Course.
Mahalo, and thank you.
Chair and Members of this Committee:
I am Steve Bichich and I testified last Monday in support of the revised Wailea Golf’s plan submitted to the DRIP committee by the Wailea Community Association (WCA).
I am testifying today because I heard Wailea Golf’s testimony about their plan and how great it was and met all of these lofty goals for Wailea except two very important ones.
First, Wailea Golf’s plan doesn’t have Wailea-wide community support, and secondly, Wailea Golf’s plan doesn’t keep two 18-hole championship golf courses.
In terms of community support, since it is my understanding that the Wailea Golf’s plan was not introduced at the Community Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) review level, so the Wailea community did not have the same opportunity to review, question, provide testimony on, and potentially help shape Wailea Golf’s plan during the CPAC phase as it would have had Wailea Golf’s plan been introduced at that stage. This took away a major community focused review of Wailea Golf’s plan.
The WCA’s Revised Plan not only has broad community support but also meets all of Wailea Golf’s stated goals of benefiting the Community, building housing including workforce housing, transportation improvements, infrastructure and amenities that serve the community’s need and develop the community’s trust.
WCA’s Revised Plan does all of this with broad community support with the Hotels, AOAO’s and HOA’s. Additionally, the WCA’s Revised Plan keeps two 18-hole championship golf courses which are the heart and soul of Wailea. Or as Wailea Golf’s own website states – “the Gold Course is the pinnacle of the Wailea Golf experience, but the Wailea Blue is the true and original heart of Wailea. The Blue is the way to get to know this place”. How can Wailea Golf’s own plan denigrate the Blue Course, the “true and original heart of Wailea”.
I urge to you to keep the heart whole which the WCA’s Revised plan does as it keeps both the Blue and Gold courses intact and still meets the other objectives of Wailea Golf’s overall plan.
The question I have to ask you is – why would you pick a plan that the community doesn’t support and will mostly likely fight it at every turn from a legal standpoint which could delay the project for years when you can adopt a revised plan that meets the Wailea Golf’s original plan intent and that has broad community wide support.
Thank you for your consideration.
Steve Bichich
47 Wailea Gateway Pl, Unit 103
Kihei, HI 96753
My name is Don Carlson and provide this testimony as a resident of Keale O Wailea and want to follow up on some of the testimony that has taken place since I testified in person on Monday September 28th.
Mr Chan testified on Wednesday the 30th that the WG Plan was developed by extensive community outreach and involvement. That is not accurate or at least a gross overstatement. WG never reached out to any of the residents of KOW, where I reside, during the planning process. I don’t know if that was intentional or an oversight but it does seem convenient that they would not reach out to us, the development most affected by their plans to eliminate the open space directly in front of us. I contrast that with Ledcor which did involve our KOW community on their plans for Workforce housing right below us and as a result obtained our strong support for that development.
We only learned of the WG plans after several of our owners attended the WAC annual meeting in March of 2025 but by then it was too late to have any meaningful input. In fact, it is my understanding that WG did not submit their plans to CPAC where it could have received community input. And based on the strong negative reaction Mr Chan received at the Annual meeting, I seriously doubt that WG has the support of any Wailea residents. In fact I know of no Wailea resident that supports the WG plan nor have I read or heard of any Wailea resident submitting testimony in support.
I also believe that WG’s written description of their plan is deceptive or at least misleading. Their plan claims it is only eliminating one Championship course. That is not true. As I explained to Chairperson Paltin last Wednesday, a Championship course is one that generally has 18 holes and a par of 70 or 72. Wailea Golf themselves market all three of their courses as Championship courses. On its official X (Twitter) profile it states:
“Wailea Golf Club’s championship Gold, Emerald and Blue courses on the island of Maui boast breathtaking ocean views from every hole”
Their Trip Advisor overview (which they submit) states “The Wailea Golf Club is home to three championship golf courses, the Gold, Emerald and Blue.
One only has to look at their Plan map and you can see what they propose effectively removes two. The Emerald would be completely removed and the Blue (“the heart of Wailea”) is eliminated as a Championship course by removing holes 4, 13 and 15 and cutting up holes 1, 5, 9, and 16. Thus, their plan really removes 2 Championship courses and leaves just one, the Gold course, which will undoubtably be turned into a private course. The WCA Plan is the Plan that removes only one Championship course and keeps two. And having two Championship courses is vitally important for tourists and conventions as well as for the many charitable golf tournaments held on the Blue course.
I urge this Committee to reject the Wailea Golf Plan.
Sincerely, Don Carlson