Ma‘alaea Village Association News

Petition to save Ma’alaea Mauka/Pohakea Watershed

(Petition ended April 3, 2020)

Ma’alaea Village Association has been closely monitoring proposed development on lands mauka of Honoapiilani Highway, across from the Ma’alaea triangle (“Ma’alaea Mauka”) since MVA’s inception in 2017. This 257-acre parcel has been the subject of numerous development proposals for the past two decades; MVA predecessor organization, Ma’alaea Community Association, was actively involved in commenting on the various proposals.

MVA, Sierra Club, Maui Tomorrow and other parties, including the Kihei Community Association and Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, have expressed concerns about development on the parcel and requested that all or part of the parcel be purchased by County Open Space funds.

In February 2020, MVA applied for State Conservation Legacy Land funds to match possible County open space funds. The Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (HILT) may be willing to join MVA and other groups to advocate for a County commitment to the purchase.

Your timely support is requested prior to the Maui County budget cycle. To join the petition, send an email with your name, address and phone number to maalaeavillageassociation@gmail.com, HI stating your support for the lands to be in public ownership and managed as part of the Pohakea Watershed Plan and other public purposes. The petition deadline is April 3, 2020.

For additional background information, please see the following documents:
Click here to see additional exhibits to MVA’s application to the Legacy Lands Conservation Program, Hawaii DNLR, Feb 18, 2020.
Click here to see testimony submitted on October 15, 2019 by MVA President Lynn Britton to the Maui County Council Planning and Sustainable Land Use Committee.
Click here to see testimony submitted on September 10, 2018 by MVA President Lynn Britton to the Maui Planning Commission .
Click here to see the Pohakea Watershed/ Ma’alaea Bay Stormwater Management Plan, prepared for Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, November 16, 2018. The study demonstrates that preserving this entire parcel is critical to the Pohakea watershed and the health of Ma’alaea Bay.

February 27, 2020 Town Hall Meeting on Coastal Erosion

MVA wishes to thank everyone who registered and attended the Town Hall meeting on Beach Erosion. The meeting had over 130 attendees. We especially wish to thank all of the presenters, MVA members, guests, and Maui Ocean Center (for hosting the event). The presenters were very clear on two key points:

The planning and permitting process to address beach erosion/restoration will be a lengthy process.
The community working together can accomplish more than individual properties.

This meeting was the first step in bringing our community together to learn what can be done to address beach erosion. Your help is needed to form a volunteer committee to continue the discussion and to initiate action!
MVA is willing to organize an independent committee to further investigate options to protect our properties, control beach erosion, and potential beach restoration. The challenge is daunting, but others have succeeded. As shown in one of the presentations, the Kahana community has come together to address these issues. So can Ma’alaea.
This effort cannot be undertaken without significant community involvement. Please volunteer to help, and join MVA to support our efforts to bring the community together for this and many other pressing issues.
“It takes a Village”

Below are links to all of the slides that were shown at the event, plus media coverage