×

Zipline continues operations despite lack of permit

Despite being denied a special use permit in July, a zipline company that’s been operating illegally for six years is continuing to accept reservations at its property in Haiku.

Northshore Zipline Co. was told to cease operations immediately after the Maui Planning Commission denied its permit request on July 12. However, a phone call to the company on Thursday afternoon, in which The Maui News identified itself, confirmed that the company was still taking reservations.

Visitors in TripAdvisor posts said they had booked tours with the company as recently as November, and Northshore Zipline’s social media pages encouraged visitors to “come see why people return year after year.”

Derek Hoyte, whose company D&S Ventures operates Northshore Zipline Co., could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday afternoon.

In 2013, the county issued Northshore Zipline a warning, followed by a notice of violation in 2014, which the company appealed. On Thursday, the Board of Variances and Appeals, which will hear Northshore Zipline’s case at a later date, received a report on the planning commission’s decision.

Gail Davis, zoning inspector with the county Planning Department, said Thursday that the county will wait to see what the board decides. All the county can do is try to take the business to court and try to collect the fees, she said.

As of July, Northshore Zipline Co. had racked up $565,000 in fines, according to Deputy Planning Director Michele Chouteau McLean.

Davis said she suspected Northshore Zipline was still operating. In September, she’d gotten a call from an upset neighbor who said the screams from riders were still disturbing residents.

Over the past two years, Northshore Zipline has averaged 50 visitors a day, according to its special use permit application. It typically runs six days a week, with the first tours starting at 8 a.m. and the last ones finishing around 6 p.m.

Tours are popular with visitors, but not with the neighbors. Residents at the planning commission meeting in July said they were bothered by the constant screaming from riders, and that some have flown so close to the ground they’ve almost collided with vehicles. They said Derek Hoyte dumped boulders and trash on their property when he first installed the zip lines.

Derek’s son, Chris Hoyte, manager of the business, presented the company as a historical and recreational operation. The 17.5-acre parcel was once part of Camp Maui, a 1,600-acre camp where Marines once relaxed and trained in between heated military campaigns.

Chris Hoyte said photos of the former camp were placed on zip line platforms, and that guides give a history to riders during tours. However, the planning commission thought the commercial aspects did not line up with the agriculturally zoned district.

While there are no building permit requirements for zip line poles, zip lining is not mentioned in the county’s agricultural permitted uses and thus requires a special use permit, county officials explained in July.

* Colleen Uechi can be reached at cuechi@mauinews.com.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper?
     
Support Local Journalism on Maui

Only $99/year

Subscribe Today