Mansionism discouraged on land with hotel zoning

WAILUKU - The Maui Planning Department would like to take a stand against creeping mansionism in the hotel district, but Planning Director Jeff Hunt says the best way to approach the problem remains under discussion.

The County Council set off the discussion by asking for advice about two proposed ordinances, one on industrial zoning (see related story) and one on hotel zoning.

The draft hotel bill would delete apartments and single-family houses as permitted uses in hotel zones.

The planning department is firmly against tampering with the apartment provision. Administrative planning officer Joe Alueta said there were more than 5,000 apartments in the hotel zone. Turning those into nonconforming uses would be problematic.

But there are only about 17 single-family houses on hotel-zoned lots, most of those at Maluhia in Wailea. Alueta recalled that the community was pleased when that lot was "saved" from dense hotel development, so a move to, in effect, condemn that popular decision would seem inconsistent.

However, the desire, and ability, of some people to afford hotel-zoned real estate for private homes worries the planners. Kaanapali isn't likely to be torn down to make room for McMegamansions, but there are other hotel-zoned lots, especially in South Maui, that are yet unbuilt.

The planners have two concerns. One is getting the best return on the expense of building infrastructure for these lots. The more units, the more tax revenue per acre.

The other is indirect. If low-density housing sops up resort lots, then unless the total number of tourists is reduced, the tourists will have to be put somewhere else.

"We want an efficient use of our hotel-zoned lands," said Hunt. "If we put low-density housing within them, we will have to extend our resorts. They'll consume more land."

The department wants to propose to the council that it leave the hotel zoning alone, except to make single-family housing an accessory use, rather than an outright permitted use. That would not disturb the existing single-family houses on hotel lots, but it should discourage building more.

The commissioners wanted to see the exact wording, and to get a better idea of the number of lots potentially affected, before voting, so it deferred its decision.

However, the commissioners agreed about advising the council to leave the apartments alone, although no vote was taken on that.

Maui Hotel & Lodging Association Executive Director Carol Reimann said her group feels the hotel zoning ordinance should be left as it is.

* Harry Eagar can be reached at heagar@mauinews.com.