The Honolulu Advertiser had an article last weekend on a new development proposed for the Wailuku area. Towne development would like to build a 550 unit development on 210 acres of fallow farm land in Waikapu. Towne is proposing 240 town homes, 90 single family house lots, 214 half acre house lots and six 1 acre lots. The new development would mix both affordable and market priced housing. Towne has not given any indication on what they envision for the breakdown between affordable and market priced units.
Towne has already applied to have the area rezoned to urban/rural from its current agricultural designation. That petition is in front of the state land use commision. Additional approvals will be needed from the Maui County Council. The council will hold public hearings on the project. There is already concern coming from the Hawaii Chapter of the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club has cited concerns about traffic and water demands from a project of this scale. Those concerns need to be evaluated as well as the county’s needs for more affordable housing. The debate over Pu’unani has a long way to go. We will continue to provide updates on the debate on The Maui Real Estate Blog.
