WAILUKU - The Maui County Council's Land Use Committee advanced three measures Wednesday - two to continue a church in Haiku and one to maintain a concrete batching plant in Honokowai.
Committee members voted unanimously to recommend approval of the three bills to the full council.
The Makawao Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses is seeking a state land use district reclassification from agricultural to rural and public/quasi-public zoning for ongoing religious activities at its property at 1550 Kokomo Road in Haiku. The two land-use measures were handled as separate bills.
Council Member Mike White, who holds the council's Makawao-Haiku-Paia residency seat, said the church is a good neighbor, and residents are pleased to have it continue as a member of the community.
The committee also voted to recommend passage of a bill to grant Ameron Hawaii a 20-year conditional permit to operate a concrete batching plant on 1.66 acres off Honoapiilani Highway and next to the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility.
Ameron leases land for the plant from Kaanapali Land Management Corp.
Council members were told the concrete plant needs to be located within 90 minutes of a project site to allow timely deliveries of fresh concrete to projects such as the Lahaina bypass road.
Council Member Joe Pontanilla proposed an amendment for the permit to last 20 years, instead of only 10, giving the company more time to do business and more flexibility in investing in operations.
All three bills are expected to come before the full council for the first of two votes on July 6.
