Arrest Made After Group Assault of California Visitors at Kaanapali Resort
A 20-year-old Makawao man was arrested on suspicion of felony assault following a July 17 incident in which a large group attacked seven California visitors at the Kaanapali Alii pool area. About 30 people were involved in the altercation, which left multiple victims with visible injuries. A suspect was arrested on felony assault charges in […]
Maui County Now Allows Up to 3 Residential Units Per Lot
Maui County adopted a new ordinance allowing up to two accessory dwelling units (ʻohana units) in addition to a primary residence on qualifying residentially zoned lots. The change applies countywide across Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi, effective July 8, 2025. Qualifying residentially zoned properties may now have up to two accessory dwellings plus a primary home […]
Hawaii Supreme Court: Maui Must Retain Coastal Permit Oversight, Can’t Delegate to Developers
Multiple sources report that the Hawaii Supreme Court unanimously ruled this week that the Maui County Planning Commission cannot allow property owners or developers to self-determine whether their coastal projects require a permit. The court affirmed a lower court ruling striking down key portions of the commission’s 2024 amended rules for the Special Management Area, […]
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 […]