The Maui County Council Housing Land Use Committee on Oct. 23 deferred consideration of final action after members discussed recommendations from the TIG (Technical Implementation Group) to create two new hotel zoning categories and to pursue a council‑initiated, mass change in zoning for a list of short‑term rental (STR) parcels.

The committee’s vice chair, acting as chair for the meeting, said the body would “defer this item” by unanimous consent after extended discussion of the TIG report and next steps. The TIG recommended creating H3 and H4 zoning categories and moving certain properties laterally into those categories while leaving others as apartment zoning pending separate review.

Why it matters: The TIG’s recommendations aim to change how thousands of potentially STR‑eligible units are classified and taxed in Maui County, and they would require coordinated land‑use and community plan amendments that could extend beyond the current council term if not acted on promptly.

Committee members and county staff described the proposed process. Chair Alice Lee (vice chair presiding) said she plans to work with the Planning Department and the deputy corporation counsel to prepare a council‑initiated change in zoning and to meet next week to establish a timeline. “If we get a move on, we could be done, about this time next year,” Lee said.

Planning staff described the work needed to support a mass change in zoning. Gregory Post, administrative planning officer, told the committee that for a council‑initiated zoning change the department would need standard materials such as meets‑and‑bounds descriptions and a written justification for each property tied to the TIG criteria. Danny Diaz, planning program administrator, said that because the structures already exist, the information required will be less extensive than a typical zoning project (for example, fewer new traffic or drainage studies), but the process still requires notices, agency review and public hearings and will likely take at least a year for individual applicant‑driven changes.

Committee members clarified how the TIG list (referred to in the meeting as Exhibit 2) will be handled. Chair Lee and members said Exhibit 2 will form the initial packet for a council‑initiated zoning change (one application covering multiple parcels) and that owners not on Exhibit 2 may still pursue an applicant‑initiated change or seek a council sponsor later. Lee said staff would send a form letter to owners on Exhibit 2 requesting deed and meets‑and‑bounds information to expedite the review.

Tax and ownership issues were discussed. Carrie Stockwell, county real property tax administrator, explained that the county assesses parcels on their “highest and best use” and that some parcels on the TIG/Exhibit 2 list were excluded from the count of affected units because owners had applied for and received owner‑occupied or long‑term rental tax exemptions. Stockwell also explained the county treats legally registered timeshares differently: per state filing requirements and Maui County code, timeshare ownership is taxed as timeshare and is not affected by Bill 9’s STR provisions.

Numbers discussed in committee: staff and members cited roughly 7,000 potentially affected units on the initial inventory, with the number reduced (by owner‑occupied claims, long‑term rentals and registered timeshares) to about 6,000 parcel records that would be in scope for zoning consideration. Members referenced a working tally of roughly 4,264 units the TIG supported moving into H3/H4 and about 2,438 units to remain in apartment zoning (noting regional breakdowns cited in the meeting as ~1,377 in South Maui and ~1,061 in West Maui). Committee staff and members also said the TIG’s Exhibit 2 packet would initially include roughly 46 parcels for the immediate council‑initiated packet, with a broader list of about 104 parcels compiled in the working spreadsheet for review.

Members debated sequencing. Some members urged moving forward on Bill 9 and the TIG recommendations concurrently; others warned that external factors (planning commission schedule, possible legal challenges and staffing limits) could delay implementation and extend the process beyond the current council term. Deputy corporation counsel Nohulu Nunukawa advised that the zoning changes “don’t necessarily need to occur before” the council acts on Bill 9 and that the committee may set the timeline.

Next steps and direction: The committee deferred the item. Chair Lee said she will meet with Planning and corporation counsel and that staff will prepare the necessary materials for a council‑initiated change in zoning, including the draft H3/H4 designations and owner notification packets. Members also discussed possible separate council‑sponsored applications for parcels not included on Exhibit 2.

The committee concluded the meeting with the deferral. “Without objection, I’m going to defer this item,” Chair Lee said.

Ending note: Committee members and planning staff repeatedly cautioned that community plan amendments and commission review are part of the process and that some shoreline or flood‑zone parcels raise special eligibility and funding constraints for programs meant to acquire housing units.