Residents attend a Community Informational Meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, at the ProArts Theater in Kihei to discuss proposed development projects in the area. Megan Moseley/The Maui News

Several South Maui residents came together Wednesday night at the ProArts Theater in Kihei to discuss a variety of topics ranging from road development and water management to affordable housing and controversial luxury home developments in the area.

Co-sponsored by the Maui Meadows Neighborhood Association, Maui Tomorrow Foundation and Kihei Community Association, the informational meeting centered around proposed development projects that some residents are saying could overwhelm South Maui’s already limited infrastructure.

One of the most controversial topics of the evening revolved around a project now titled Honua’ula, also known as Wailea 670. Guest speakers addressed their concerns regarding what they are saying is a series of “broken promises” made by developers over the years.

Wailea 670 is a mixed-use development project that would span 670 acres in South Maui. The decadeslong project includes more than 1,000 upscale units to be built around a private golf course. Earlier negotiations led to developers promising to provide 700 units of affordable housing, with 250 units to be built within the first few years.

However, representatives said Wednesday night that the original negotiations have changed several times over the years.

According to information from the Sierra Club of Hawaii Maul Group, the landowners proposed in February amendments to a number of the original conditions. Some amendments reflected changes in the project design, but others changed “the fundamental agreement that council members made with the landowners to mitigate concerns over lack of adequate information about the project and its impacts.”

Albert Perez, executive director of the local nonprofit Maui Tomorrow Foundation, said there have been many empty promises made by the project developers over the years, including an agreement to build six acres of little league fields, then another commitment of $5 million toward the South Maui Community Park and finally a promise to widen Pi’ilani Highway.

Over the years, these promises have changed, Perez said, leaving him and others skeptical of the proposed development.

“It sounds good, but it’s really not good. It’s a loss to the community,” he said.

“Why are we using our resources, our scarce water, to build homes for those people?” he added.

Mike Moran, president of the Kihei Community Association, said one of his concerns with more development in the area had to deal with South Maui’s main artery — the already-congested Pi’ilani Highway.

“In a fire, hurricane, tsunami, whatever, everybody is going to try to rush out from there and now we’re going to have thousands more units further south?” he asked the crowd.

Doug Ballard, an experienced county planner in rural areas and member of the Maui Tomorrow Foundation, also spoke about his concerns for South Maui’s future.

He said changes in language in the South Maui Community Plan are raising eyebrows.

“They’re taking ‘shalls’ and replacing them with ‘maybes,’ which makes the outcome of a particular policy hard to predict in terms of how that will be administered,” he said.

“Language is being watered-down,” he added.

“It’s very important to stay engaged, be aware of what’s happening before the planning commission, and more particularly when the community plan goes to council. Stay aware, get involved and be prepared to testify,” he said.

For more information about the South Maui Community Plan, visit southmaui.wearemaui.org. For a look at the Maui County Council upcoming meetings and agenda items, visit mauicounty.us.