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Votes at a glance: Maui County Council passes housing, flood, water studies and budget items on April 4
Summary
The council approved a slate of committee recommendations and budget ordinances including a $650,000 predevelopment grant for a Napili affordable housing project, updates to flood hazard mapping, a USGS groundwater study in West Maui, a HIOSH settlement and several budget amendments; most measures passed unanimously.
The Maui County Council on April 4 approved multiple committee recommendations, first readings and final-reading budget bills. Several items drew brief explanations from committee chairs; most passed with unanimous 9-0 votes.
Key actions and outcomes - Committee Report 25-18 / Bill 33 (first reading): Authorized a grant of up to $650,000 to 0746 Lahaina LP for predevelopment costs on a Napili affordable housing project (tax map key 243001096). Committee language clarified predevelopment costs may include traffic and cultural impact analyses, environmental assessments and permitting; open-space funds used to buy the property must be reimbursed before the project proceeds. Vote: 9-0 to recommend first reading.
- Committee Report 25-19 / Bill 3 CD1 (first reading, as amended): Revisions to county procedures for filing financial disclosure statements and increased election-official security; committee approved an amendment to make certain county clerk/deputy clerk financial disclosures confidential retroactively. Vote: 9-0 on first reading as amended.
- Committee Report 25-22 / Bill 28 CD1 (first reading): Amend the county code to allow additional flood-prone areas not on FEMA maps to be included in the special flood hazard areas; committee noted post-fire Lahaina flood studies are underway and that up to 1,000 parcels may require flood-development permits. Vote: 9-0 to recommend first reading.
- Committee Report 25-23 / Bill 19 CD1 (first reading): Authorize the mayor to enter an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey for a West Maui groundwater availability study; total study cost $180,000 with USGS and other partners sharing costs. Vote: 8-0 (committee) to recommend first reading; council passed 9-0.
- Committee Report 25-24 / Bill 16 (first reading): Authorize the mayor to enter an intergovernmental agreement to settle alleged HIOSH violations at the Kihei wastewater reclamation facility for $28,062.30 (reduced from an initial fine after violations were addressed). Vote: 9-0 to recommend first reading.
- Committee reports CR 25-20 and CR 25-21 (special counsel): The council approved two resolutions authorizing special counsel compensation: up to $200,000 to ES & A, Inc., and up to $925,000 to Kobayashi, Sugita and Gota, LLP. Vote: 9-0.
Final and second readings (budget bills passed) The council also passed several budget-related ordinances on second and final reading: Bill 22 (mayor/administration grant to Akaku), Bill 24 CD1 (Fire & Public Safety operations), Bill 32 (Community Development Block Grant / disaster recovery), Bill 34 CD1 (Office of the Mayor, culture/arts/tourism grants), Bill 35 CD1 (wildfire permanent disposal site funding adjustments) and Bill 36 (manage retreat revolving fund to Baldwin Beach Park). All passed on second and final reading (recorded as 9-0 in the meeting vote).
Other business - A referral and scheduling compromise was made for Resolution 25-85 (extension requests for the Kuikahi Village workforce housing project): members discussed options for a special HLU meeting or taking the item up later in the agenda; the item was left to be revisited with departmental staff and the applicant available to answer questions.
What this means: The council advanced a mix of housing, planning, safety and budget items, most with unanimous support. Several first-reading measures require further committee or department follow-up (for example, flood mapping and groundwater study timelines).
