The Future of Hali’imaile

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The Maui News had another cover story on new development on the front page of today’s paper. If it seems like there has been a lot of coverage of new developments lately on the blog and Maui Newspapers, there is good reason. New development is a critical issue as Maui addresses its future. New development raises issues about environmental impact, community infrastructure, economics and the personality of this beautiful island. The issue promises to be in the news a lot this year as the county council revises Maui’s community plan, affordable housing issues are discussed and new developments are debated by the county council.

The subject of today’s headlines is the future of the community of Hali’imaile. Hali’imaile is an old Pineapple growing town situated below Makawao in Maui’s beautiful Upcountry. It is a small town of less than 1,000 with a modest community center and one of the island’s best restaurants the Hali’imaile General Store. The area is still surrounded by active Pineapple fields. These fields are owned by Maui’s two biggest land owners Maui Land and Pineapple, and Alexander and Baldwin. The companies are also involved extensively in Maui Real Estate. With many of the island’s pineapple fields likely to go fallow in the next twenty years if not sooner, the companies are looking at other possibilities for the surrounding land. Both companies have plans for development in the area. Maui Land and Pine is hoping to create a self sustained development rather than a bedroom community. The development would include commercial space that they hope would be a significant source of employment for the developments residents. As a part of the planning process for future development, both companies will be hosting planning workshops on the week of March 10th at the Hali’imaile gymnasium. The workshops are like other’s that A&B hosted for their proposed development Waialae outside of Kahului, and the one’s that ML&P hosted for their proposed Pulelehua development in West Maui.

I will try to post a reminder about the planning meetings the week that they are held. For more information about the meetings and additional details on the proposed development plans for Hali’imaile, check out the article in today’s Maui News.

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