State Land Use Commission Puts Burden of Proof on Maui Mall Developer
Community groups on Maui are celebrating today after the Hawaii Land Use Commission ruled that there was good cause to require the developer of a Maui mall to show how it was in compliance with a 1995 order granting the land’s reclassification from agricultural to urban.
You can read Civil Beat’s background on the case here: State Fights for Power Over Land Developers.
Mark Hyde, president of South Maui Citizens for Responsible Growth provided the following update via email:
I am delighted to report that today the Hawaii state Land Use Commission (LUC) found by unanimous vote (6-0) that there is reasonable cause to believe that Pi’ilani Promenade North (the Outlet stores), Pi’ilani South (the shopping center) and Honua’ula Partners (Wailea 670’s 250 workforce housing) are not developing the 88 acre Kaonoulu Ranch property in substantial compliance with the 1995 Order issued by the LUC. In addition, Commissioners noted that the property owners have not filed a timely annual status report with the LUC this calendar year.This represents a huge step forward in our case and a victory for the people of south Maui. Next, a status conference will be held in early September to set a date for a contested hearing. At that hearing the property owners will be compelled (ordered) to show how their proposed Mega Malls and workforce housing (apples) is substantially similar to a 123 lot light industrial park (oranges) proposed by Kaonoulu Ranch in 1994, and answer for the fact that the development lacks a frontage or connector roads as ordered by the Commission.
