Mayor Arakawa signs isle plan, 'framework' for future of Maui

WAILUKU - Mayor Alan Arakawa signed the Maui Island Plan on Friday, a week after the Maui County Council passed the guide for island planning by a 5-4 vote.

"We now have the framework which will allow us to move forward, striving as always to balance the many current and future needs of Maui and our people," Arakawa said, following the signing. "To all of those involved in the process, whether they saw eye to eye on every detail of the plan or not, your efforts are much appreciated."

Now, Community Plan Advisory Committees for the county's community plan regions will draft plans for their areas and, depending on the area, those will be reviewed by the Maui, Molokai or Lanai planning commissions.

After years of review, the Maui Island Plan was criticized in its final phases as being too pro-development by allowing too much land to be included in urban-growth boundaries. Critics also were concerned about provisions allowing the Olowalu Town development, which calls for building 1,500 homes on 600 acres both mauka and makai of Honoapiilani Highway. Project supporters were in favor of its affordable housing while opponents were concerned about the development's impact on the reef and other marine life offshore of Olowalu.

Council members voting in favor of the Maui Island Plan were Gladys Baisa, Bob Carroll, Don Couch, Joe Pontanilla and Mike White. Council Members Elle Cochran, Riki Hokama, Mike Victorino and Danny Mateo voted no.

Source: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/568392.html

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