Writer's Block

GPACtion!

Just came from the Maui General Plan Advisory Committee meeting where the Planning Department handed out its much-anticipated Maui Island Plan (with maps). They waited until after the meeting to hand it out, so I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet, but will be doing a story for Saturday's paper.

GPAC members were clearly happy to be receiving the plan, after much grumbling over the past months about how long it was taking. Applause upon the announcement that the plan was ready. The GPAC has not met for the past few months while the plan was being completed.

Usual crowd of developer representatives and the interested public, along with the mayor and Council Member Gladys Baisa, who's shown some stamina in sitting through just about every one of these meetings. Public testimony was mercifully short.

I ended up sitting next to former planning director Mike Foley, looking relaxed in shorts and an aloha shirt, and I'm sure feeling glad not to be sitting in the hot seat. Foley says he's now building a house in Kaupo and will be teaching geography at MCC for a few semesters.

For anyone else out there who sits through a lot of these public meetings -- have you ever noticed that the last 10 minutes always take the longest? You suddenly notice how hard the seats are.

The island plan document will be posted on the Planning Department's web site at midnight -- I'll add a link tomorrow.