Preserving Maui & Hawaii - Excessive Development Problem

Makena Beach is regarded by many Maui residents as the #1 priority, core, undeveloped beach on Maui to be protected.
In 2008 EF teamed with the Save Makena organization in a land preservation education project concerning the Wailea 670/Honua’ula land development. In 2008 Wailea 670/Honua’ula was approved by the Maui County Council. But an independent lawsuit from several local residents and the U.S. Financial Crisis of late 2008 appear to have put Wailea 670/Honua’ula on hold. It's interesting that the U.S. Financial Crisis may have the silver lining of perhaps stopping for quite awhile massive land development on Maui.
On February 21, 2002 Earth Foundation, in conjunction with Na Kupuna O Maui, completed a vital islandwide education project to Save Makena & Wailea, which was successful in protecting South Maui’s key undeveloped beach from an 1,100 unit housing development. This was MAUI’S first islandwide, grass roots, eco-culture preservation, education project, covering the entire island of MAUI from Kahakuloa to Hana and everywhere in between.
The February 2002 education project helped stop 5,000 more cars and a combined 2,500 new homes from being built in Makena & Wailea 670.
In the February 2002 education project, over 4,300 total emails were received by the nine Maui County Council members. And, on a weekday morning more than 300 people attended the February 21st Council meeting and it was STANDING ROOM ONLY. Our education project and the pressure from it on the County Council are some of the key reasons why the Makena development has been temporarily blocked.
All this was done to “Save Makena & Wailea” by raising awareness of the “Makena & Wailea 670 developments” issue. If our eco-culture preservation, education project had NOT happened, the Maui County Council on February 21, 2002 would have probably passed the Makena development rezoning bill with a majority of the Council voting in favor of the Makena development. Fortunately, the Makena & Wailea 670 education project was successful in helping Maui residents to stop that from happening.
WHAT ARE OUR VALUES? Hawaiians have different values than the Developers of this land. The Developers are not being considerate in this decision-making process. And a majority of the Maui County Council supports the Makena & Wailea 670 developments. The Hawaiian Homelands, in Keokea, are above the proposed Wailea 670 & Makena developments. Water will be provided for the Makena & Wailea 670 developments, but there doesn’t seem to be any water for Keokea’s Hawaiian Homelands and they have been promised their land and water for years. Do we want Maui to be like California, or do we want an island whose culture is intact? Keep Maui “Hawaiian Style.”

We can "lose Maui" & our quality of life & 5 years later wonder why we let that happen.

Protect the aina.