An upcoming pilot program that aims to address growing parking demands in heavily used county parks and beaches proposes requiring a Maui County zip code to qualify for free parking, an idea backed by most residents at a meeting Wednesday.

Maui County residents, and some out-of-state visitors, participated in two virtual meetings on Wednesday to share their thoughts and suggestions about plans for Park Maui, a new parking management program for beach parks, business districts and streets in Maui’s most congested and highly visited areas.

According to a survey poll during the evening session, 57 percent of attendees agreed with the proof of Hawaii residency requirement to include a Maui County zip code on the driver’s license for free or discounted parking, but 43 percent suggested allowing any Hawaii zip code holder to be eligible to allow families from other islands to park with ease.

Beginning in early 2023 with Ulua/Mokapu Beach Park and Kamaole III in South Maui, including the respective on-street parking, the pilot project would require nonresidents to pay a daily flat rate at a kiosk, mobile app or use a weekly and/or monthly premium pass, said Dixon Resources Unlimited President Julie Dixon, who has been contracted to help establish the framework of the program.

Specifically, it’s also proposed that Kamaole Beach Parks would be resident-only parking before 10 a.m. on weekends and holidays.

At Ulua/Mokapu Beach Park, where both beaches are primarily used by visitors, parking would just be free all day for Hawaii residents with Maui County zip codes while nonresidents would have a daily flat rate or a weekly pass.

Overall, Maui County residents who register for the program would get free parking at all county parks and beaches as well as the first two hours free at off-street paid lot locations. There are also discussions about leveraging Maui Bus into the solution of reducing congestion and spill-over parking options.

The intent is to manage access, such as using time limits and parking fees, to “make sure that we have that turnover in spaces,” said Dixon.

Dixon added that the intent is to also reduce congestion by encouraging parking at underused locations.

No rates and fee schedules have been decided yet, she said.

The revenue generated by this program would enter a revolving fund that can be used for larger facility improvements, cultural preservation, environmental protection, and beach restoration efforts, said Erin Wade of the Maui County Department and Management.

An equal number of attendees voted that their top priorities for the revolving fund would be for maintaining county parks (41 percent) and “expanding, enhancing, and supporting public transportation, pedestrian and bike infrastructure or programs” (41 percent).

Only nine percent voted for the categories regarding improving safety and maintenance of business districts or protecting and/or acknowledging cultural and environmental sites.

Many residents expressed that they avoid certain locations, parks, beaches and towns due to parking issues and are hopeful that Park Maui will reduce some congestion.

“There is a huge sentiment from residents that this can help with tourism management and everyone is just so tired of hearing from their friends and family when they talk about going to the beach over the weekend, like it’s almost something that deters you from going certain places because there just isn’t parking at certain spots,” said Kai Nishiki, a local shoreline access activist. “We’re glad that this system can help prioritize residents’ quality of life.”

Other folks, however, aren’t fully convinced it’s going to make a difference at the beaches.

“With respect to the beach parks and the ones that have been mentioned, I am in no way in support of this program,” said Maui Meadows resident Tom Croly. “With respect if you define the problem, then you have to figure out whether or not charging for the parking, how much you charge and what restrictions you put on it are actually going to solve the problem. I don’t know the answer to that, but from what I’ve heard so far, I’m not convinced that it would solve any of the problems, like the Kamaole Beach Parks — they simply don’t have enough parking spaces.”

As Park Maui rolls out, a parking operator/partner will be selected, pay stations and other equipment will be installed, data on the program and from residents will be analyzed and more public input will be sought.

Phase two is slated to launch in 2023 and includes Wailuku and Lahaina towns, in which nonresidents pay for parking in all small towns, Dixon said.

For Hawaii residents with Maui County zip codes, Lahaina proposals include free two-hour off-street parking for residents in the Prison Street parking lot, fees for on-street parking in Lahaina town and monthly employee passes for purchase, with a low-income discount option.

Similarly in Wailuku town, residents would get free off-street parking at the Wailuku parking structure, which is currently under construction, but would have to pay for on-street parking. Monthly employee passes would be available for purchase, with a low-income discount option.

An annual pass is being considered.

As residents expressed the need for better management in places like Paia and Napili, Dixon reassured that the county will be looking at other island locations where parking solutions need to be addressed after the pilot project, roughly beginning in 2024 and beyond.

East Maui resident Randy Orozco asked for Park Maui to address parking issues at East Maui parks and beaches, as well as on Hana Highway, in the future because it’s “in desperate need” of mitigation.

“It’s a dangerous situation out here with people walking in our roads and not having places to park,” Orozco said. “We’re having big, big problems with tour vans and cars all over the place.”

Park Maui will be a long rollout, Dixon said, considering that there’s “a lot of infrastructure, a lot of process, a lot of policy that has to go into this program.”

“We are aware of all the impacts of all of the different regions of Maui and know that we will get to you as quickly as we can. We also have to make sure that we do this right,” she said.

For more information or to provide feedback on the proposed regulations within the pilot program, visit parkmaui.com.

* Dakota Grossman can be reached at dgrossman@mauinews.com.