Makena Resort Testimony by Sierra Club Maui Group

Review Board
Re: Agenda item 2 ATC Makena Holdings SMA permit

Aloha Chair Conrad and UDRB members

Sierra Club Maui has reviewed proposed projects in the Makena Area for over 35 years.

According to the Maui UDRB Checklist of Standard Concerns one area of evaluation is the relationship of architectural and building design on historic areas. The historic area of the Makena region are discussed in the Kihei-Makena Community Plan Cultural Resources section. These recommendations are being ignored by this project. SMA permits require conformance to the relevant community plan and protection of historic and cultural resources. The project has had inadequate cultural review as scores of public testifiers pointed out at the Planning Commission meeting of Jan 26, 2016.

We ask the UDRB to advise the Maui Planning Commission to follow the policies of the Kihei Makena Community Plan and require this project to:

1) Protect and allow pedestrian access the along the right of ways for two extremely important historic roads/pathways: Makena-Ulupalakua Road (ca. 1850’s) and the ‘Aupuni road from Ulupalakua to Keawala’i church/ Keawakapu Bay (built by Kamehameha II CA 1830’s).Both roads will be obliterated by large buildings in the current project design. Building C and a recreational complex will wipe out the 1930‘s Makena-Ulupalakua Road. Building M and a condo cluster obliterate the pat of the ‘Aupuni

2) Protect and permit cultural access and use for a cluster of historic sites referred to as the “Makena Landing Sites” in the Community Plan and shown on the Cultural Resources Map adopted along with the Kihei-Makena Community Plan

3) Protect all the historic walls on the 47 acre site through inclusion in the project’s Historic Preservation Plan. Currently there are three separate distinct wall alignments identified on the property. Sites 7054 (250 m long) and 7063 (79 m long- actually both are continuations of the same wall, according to kupuna interviews) 7068 (100 m. long) , 7088 (85 m long) , 7075 (‘Aupuni wall, ca. 1830’s 100 m.

4) Have the project’s Historic Preservation Plan reviewed by the Maui Cultural Resources Commission before SMA hearing, so the CRC can advise the Planning Commission on their decision.

5) Have a full EIS prepared since the the current Draft EA concludes that “there will be no significant impact on historic or cultural sites.” The DEA does not acknowledge that the two historic roads will be obliterated, that only 4 of the 11 Makena Landing sites shown on the Kihei-Makena Community Plan and recommended for preservation are proposed for preservation in the current DEA.

Mahalo for you time and consideration of our legacy resources.

Conservation Chair, Sierra Club Maui

1 thought on “Makena Resort Testimony by Sierra Club Maui Group”

  1. Once again the few take from the many. The rich get to enjoy the beauty of this Island and the poor go work for them and see the beauty from the other end of a broom, or mower, or when they take out their trash. Disgraceful!

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