×

Some neighbors object to special events permit plea

Leona Rocha Wilson

WAILUKU — The clash between a Wailuku Heights property owner seeking a permit to host special events and weddings and some of her neighbors moved to a County Council committee, which heard testimony from more than 50 people during a seven-hour meeting Wednesday.

The council Land Use Committee deferred action on the conditional permit until 9 a.m. July 27.

Leona Rocha Wilson, owner of Lona Ridge, is seeking the permit to host special events on her 5.75-acre property at 588 Kulaiwi Drive at the top of Wailuku Heights. The property includes her residence, a five-bedroom, 8,032-square-foot dwelling, and a swimming pool.

She wants to generate income from the property to support hosting community programs and nonprofit groups at Lona Ridge as she has been doing for years. The property has several hundred endemic and indigenous trees, which she is waiting to mature and hopes to generate income from.

Some of her neighbors oppose her plans for special events and the permit. They fear increased traffic and worry about safety in the neighborhood, where parents pull their children in red wagons and people walk their dogs and exercise along the road. Because alcohol will be served at the proposed events, drunken drivers are a concern, and residents said the commercial activities violate the Wailuku Heights covenants and codes.

In October, the Maui Planning Commission approved a state Land Use Commission special permit for the property. It is in a state agriculture district but because of its smaller size, the planning commission had jurisdiction over the permit instead of the state Land Use Commission.

In granting the permit, the commission recommended conditions, including scaling back events to 15 annually, capping attendance at 65 people, limiting events to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and shuttling guests to and from the property if alcohol is served.

Deputy Planning Director Michele McLean said at Wednesday’s committee meeting that the planning commission’s recommendations could be included in the conditional permit before the council. The council action was required because the land also is zoned agriculture by the county.

At the all-day meeting, 55 people testified and were about evenly split. Most of those testifying in favor of the permit did not live in Wailuku Heights.

Wailuku Heights resident Myrna Hotta Fung expressed her concern about the safety of residents, noting the neighborhood’s steep winding roads and citing the potential for drunken drivers.

“Why are people being put in jeopardy for just one person?” she asked.

Lester Yano, president of the Wailuku Heights Extension Unit 2 Homeowners Association, concurred with Fung’s testimony, adding that many residents moved to the area for its tranquility. In response to council members’ questions, Yano said that Wailuku Heights codes and covenants prohibit commercial activity.

The association may consider filing a lawsuit if the permit is approved, Yano said.

Wilson’s supporters included Rebecca Armato, who said she is the “immediate next-door neighbor of Lona Ridge.” Armato said she did not hear any noise coming from her neighbor and didn’t mind the additional cars.

In a presentation to the committee, Wilson said she already is allowed to do farm tours on her agriculturally zoned land and might increase the number if the permit is not approved. Farm tours would mean more cars in area because most drive their own cars to Lona Ridge.

Being allowed to hold special events “will allow me to control the people coming to my home,” she said.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@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