CHAIR’S 3 MINUTES
Published in The Maui News, Feb. 5, 2017
By: BOB CARROLL
The Maui County Council’s Land Use Committee will conduct its meeting at the Lanai Senior Center on Friday at 2 p.m. to consider developments on the island requiring change in zoning and conditional permits.
On the agenda is the Lanai Avenue Residential Homes project’s application for a community plan amendment and change in zoning. The project calls for three single-family homes on a 22,328-square-foot parcel.
The Lanai Planning Commission recommended approval of the project after receiving public testimony. The commission reviews proposed developments and makes recommendations to the County Council.
The applicant, Pulama Lana’i, intends to replace three former homes on the property that were in a state of disrepair and demolished in 2014. The new homes will maintain the plantation-style architecture to be compatible with the district’s aesthetic and visual character.
In addition, the company also requested to construct two private helistop pads — one in Manele and one in Koele. The request for permits for the helistop pads is to provide a transportation option for guests of the Four Seasons Resort Lanai.
The commission, after deliberation and receipt of testimony, forwarded a recommendation to the council to approve the project for the Manele site, but denied the conditional permit request for the one in Koele.
Some residents expressed concern over noise, safety and the purpose for the Koele site when the Lanai Airport is but a 10-minute drive away.
Finally, Pulama Lana’i is also seeking a conditional permit to allow the company to hold 40 special events per year at the Challenge at Manele Golf Course.
The commission recommended approval of the permit, provided some conditions were met. The conditions call for a five-year duration of the permit, insurance, development and maintenance of property requirements, size of tents and a noise curfew.
I look forward to hearing from the Lanai community on Friday, as well as receiving more information from the applicant. Testimony may be submitted to lu.committee@mauicounty.us.
Review of conditional permit applications like these is one of the duties of the Land Use Committee, which I chair.
The committee also reviews project-specific amendments of state land use district boundaries, the General Plan, community plans and zoning ordinances, in addition to fast-track applications for affordable housing projects under Chapter 201H of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.
Last term, the council also recommitted to my committee a proposal I introduced to allow “affordable accessory dwellings,” also known as ohana units, on lots up to 7,499 square feet in certain zoning districts. Amendments have been proposed to strengthen the bill and I look forward to discussing this matter in a future meeting.
Mahalo.
* Bob Carroll holds the County Council seat for the East Maui residency area. He is the chair of the Land Use Committee. “Chair’s 3 Minutes” is a weekly column to explain the latest news on county legislative matters. Visit mauicounty.us for more information.
