Construction Lobbyist: Sneak Attack on Maui Community Plans

On Thursday June, 18, 2015 the Maui County Council will hear a bill introduced by Councilmember Don Couch but most likely written by developer lobbyist, Charlie Jenks and the Maui Chamber of Commerce that will make community plans entirely toothless and irrelevant.

BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 2.80B, MAUI COUNTY CODE, RELATING TO GENERAL PLAN AND COMMUNITY PLAN  says that a developer may ignore the Community plan.

Under current law, the administration can zone areas but even if a parcel is zoned “Hotel” if the citizens who create the community plan want the land to be “Park” or “Residential” the developer cannot build a hotel on the land.  This bill will eliminate the citizens’ voices from planning and make the community planning process irrelevant.

One has to hand it to Don Couch, the Chamber of Commerce and the developer lobbyists: they’ve got chutzpah!

PC-021 Amending Chapter 2.80B