Hawaii Supreme Court Voids Maui’s SMA Permit Exemption Rules
The Hawaii Supreme Court struck down Maui Planning Commission rules that had exempted certain construction and renovation projects near the shoreline from requiring Special Management Area permits. The court found the exemptions violated the Coastal Zone Management Act by bypassing required case-by-case environmental review. The court ruled that Maui’s 2024 categorical permit exemptions for SMA […]
Maui Council Candidate Konohia: Bill 9 ‘Rushed,’ Supports Phaseout of STRs
Randy Konohia, a candidate for the Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū seat on the Maui County Council, says Bill 9’s vacation rental phaseout had good intentions but was implemented too hastily, creating uncertainty for owners and workers. He supports prioritizing housing for local residents over short-term rental profits. Konohia acknowledges Bill 9 — which phases out vacation rentals in […]
Maui County Now Allows Up to Two ADUs Per Lot — But Not for STRs
Maui County adopted a new ordinance effective July 8 allowing up to two accessory dwelling units on qualifying residentially zoned lots countywide. The added units are explicitly prohibited from being used as vacation rentals, short-term rentals, or B&Bs. Qualifying residentially zoned properties can now have up to two accessory dwellings (ʻohana units) in addition to […]
Maui Now Allows Up to 3 Units Per Lot — But Not for Vacation Rentals
Multiple sources report that Maui County adopted a new ordinance, effective July 8, allowing qualifying residentially zoned properties to have up to two accessory dwelling units (ʻohana units) in addition to a primary residence — three units total on one lot. The rule change applies countywide across Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi, and was passed in […]
Maui Mayor Race: Sugimura Outraises Bissen Ahead of Aug. 8 Primary
Council member Yuki Lei Sugimura holds a significant fundraising and cash-on-hand advantage over incumbent Mayor Richard Bissen with the primary election weeks away. Sugimura has drawn notable financial support from real estate and vacation rental industry interests, partly linked to her opposition to Bissen’s Bill 9 STR phase-out plan. Sugimura has raised approximately $335,000 overall […]
Maui Now Allows Up to Two ADUs Per Residential Lot Countywide
Effective July 8, Maui County now permits up to two accessory dwelling units on qualifying residentially zoned properties, in addition to a primary residence. The new ordinance explicitly prohibits these units from being used as vacation rentals, short-term rentals, or B&Bs. Property owners in residential and rural zones may now build up to two ʻohana […]
Maui Council Committee Moves to Rezone Dozens of STR Properties as Hotels
A Maui County Council committee voted 6-2 to advance two resolutions that would rezone select apartment-zoned vacation rental properties in Kīhei and West Maui into newly created hotel districts. The move is part of the county’s phased effort to resolve the legal status of roughly 4,500 grandfathered vacation rentals on the Minatoya List. The Housing […]
Kīhei Beach Parking Goes Paid for Visitors Starting July 15
Maui County launches its Park Maui paid parking program at Kamaʻole Beach Parks I and III on July 15, 2026. Non-resident visitors will pay $10/day while Hawaii residents park free using a valid Hawaii driver’s license. Non-resident parking fees are $10/day, $50/week, or $150/month, payable via the Park Maui app or on-site pay stations. Hawaii […]
Maui and Lānaʻi Push State for Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Protections
Maui County Council and the Lahaina Community Land Trust are urging the state Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to adopt interim rules restricting the transport of plant materials that could spread coconut rhinoceros beetles to Maui and Lānaʻi. The state has not declared an emergency despite detecting a half-dozen beetles on the islands since April, […]
Mayor Bissen Addresses STR Legislation, Storm Damage on Molokai Visit
Mayor Richard Bissen visited Molokai on June 29-30 for a town hall and county department meetings ahead of the August election. Residents raised questions about new short-term rental legislation, which Bissen said will be phased in gradually with minimal impact on local jobs. About 25 residents attended Bissen’s town hall on Molokai, with many questions […]