The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Maui Planning Commission on Oct. 14, 2025.
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Oct. 14, 2025, 9 a.m.
Planning Department conference room
To: Maui Planning Commission
Kim Thayer, Chair
Ashley Lindsey, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst
RE: Item B(1) — RELATING TO BUILDING HEIGHT FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION
Aloha Chair Thayer, Vice Chair Lindsey and other members of the Commission,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports item B(1), which would amend the West Maui Community Plan to allow buildings in the Lahaina National Historic Landmark District to be 35 feet tall and public or quasi-public buildings destroyed or damaged by the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfires to be rebuilt to their previous heights.
According to the 2021 West Maui Community Plan, the current height limit for buildings within the Lahaina NHLD is 30 feet. But this standard did not anticipate a disaster such as the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires.
The Maui County Council and Mayor Richard Bissen did approve Bill 105 (2024) in March 2025 to waive typical zoning rules for nonconforming structures and uses for rebuilding after disasters. However, because this 30-foot height limit resides in the 2021 West Maui Community Plan and not the zoning code, Bill 105 (2024) did not provide property owners with relief.
Grassroot supports this legislation because it would empower Lahaina residents and entrepreneurs to rebuild what they had before the wildfires. Our policy brief “Four more ways to speed up Lahaina’s wildfire recovery” lists other regulations that county lawmakers should consider waiving.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Jonathan Helton
Policy Analyst
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
