A Maui County Council committee voted 6-2 to advance three land-use bills that would allow construction of a fire station in Haʻikū, a project nearly two decades in the making. Two council members opposed the vote, citing unresolved concerns over Native Hawaiian land rights tied to the proposed site.
- The Housing and Land Use Committee approved three land-use measures for a 6.1-acre fire station site in Haʻikū, sending the project toward a full council vote.
- The county plans to build on 6 acres of a 27.9-acre parcel it owns, with the remaining land set aside for Native Hawaiian uses.
- Two council members voted no, arguing the county has not resolved a disputed land title that could expose the county to costly litigation.
- One dissenting member suggested the county could instead renovate an existing structure on a larger parcel, as was done for a Molokaʻi fire station.
- A ninth council member was excused from the vote due to a conflict of interest from prior work on the project.
Source: Maui Now
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