545 acres Maui agland jeopardized

SUBHEAD: Central Maui's largest new proposed development is being planned in a traditional burial ground. Again!  

By Lucienne De Naie on 24 February 2012 in Island Breath -  
(laluz@maui.net)


Image above: Kanaka maoli hold vigil over Waiale burial site planned to be "relocated" because it is in an "inconvenient place". From original email.

The Alexander & Baldwin (A&B) Waiale Project is asking the state to reclassify 545 acres from AG to URBAN. Planned are 2550 units; a new shopping center; new industrial zones and commercial development on 545 acres with 6,670 new residents. Waiale is billed as all about AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

But for who? As planned 34% is to be affordable (863 units) and 66% market priced (1687 units).

PLEASE SPEAK UP FOR A BETTER PLAN THIS WEEK. FEB 16th The proposed project sets aside1 burial dune (75 plus sets of iwi) and 5 other "islands" of burial sites. The other long, high dunes. DUNES that haven't been sand mined are shown as high-density development area.This is NOT the project design that was under community discussion during 3 years of Maui Island Plan Review.

• This is NOT respectful to a place with traditional cultural value
• This is not in line with Wailuku-Kahului Community Plan that lists ALL inland dunes as important cultural sites
• This is NOT sound planning.

ACT!
State Land Use Commission will hear testimony Thursday, Feb 16th 10 am Makena Resort (Old Maui Prince Hotel) : Wailea Salon Room  

CAN'T ATTEND?
EMAIL COMMENTS by end of day Feb 14 to both address links below. Just copy and paste any of the points ATTACHED BE SURE TO ASK THE LUC to require conditions if they approve the reclassification request. Waiale is agenda item: A10-789

Riley.K.Hakoda@dbedt.hawaii.gov
Jesse.K.Souki@dbedt.hawaii.gov
CC: Clare Apana (kouwahine@gmail.com)  

TALKING POINTS
What the Land Use Commission needs to know PLEASE ASK the LUC to place conditions, if they approve the boundary change. Over three hundred burials have already been disturbed during the building of Maui Lani next door to the Waiale project. enough is enough!

 Fifty acres of disturbed (sandmined) dunes on the WAI’ALE site already have almost 90 known sets of kupuna iwi. Most of these will be preserved in place in one dune. Other burials are being removed for roads.

MANY MORE BURIALS ARE LIKELY TO BE UNCOVERED IF MORE DUNES ARE BULLDOZED, RATHER THAN PROTECTED. COPY & PASTE FOR TESTIMONY POINTS.

1. A&B's Waiale Master plan only "protects" one sandmined dune with 70 plus iwi kupuna. They pretend that this is the only "undisturbed dune" on the site, and no more iwi will be disturbed! This is not true. People want all the dunes there protected. They are not "degraded' like the A&B consultants say. ASK: the LUC to require a study be done to list Waiale Burial dunes on state and national Historic Register, as it deserves.

2.The Waiale dunes are part of the same dune system as Maui Lani, where 300 iwi kupuna have already been shamefully disturbed. We need to learn from our mistakes at Maui Lani, and make things pono with our lands and our ancestors who watch over them. ASK: The LUC to require a Traditional Cultural Property Study be done for the Waiale project site, folowing federal guidelines.

3. A&B speaks with pride about their 33 acres of "Cultural preserve" areas, but don't reveal that only the areas where our kupuna iwi have already been crushed and scattered by sandmining bulldozers are in the "preserve"

4. Undisturbed natural sand dunes that still remain on the site, are planned to be leveled (with the sand likely sold) for high density housing and commercial areas.Pu'u One are unique features created over 80,000 years ago, and should not be removed for profit.

5. P'uu One (natural sand dunes) are described as "cultural resources", whether they have known burials or not, in the Wailuku-Kahului community Plan. Our Pu'u One are Wahi Pana and give life to our land. ASK: The LUC to require alternative project design that protects un-mined sand dunes on site as shown in Maui Island Plan Directed Growth Maps approved by GPAC and Maui Planning Commission.

6. Ask that habitat aras be required for endangered native moth and traditional aumakua: Native Pueo- both found on this site and a section 106 Federal Consultation with native hawaiians be initiated.

7. Wai'ale would use up to 2.8 million gal of water a day: no impacts to our streams or aquifers are being discussed. ASK: the LUC to require Waiale project design alternatives, based on reduced water demand and usage

8. Wai'ale has no plan for its sewage: the project proposed to put another million gallons of sewage into the overworked Kahului wastewater plant. ASK: the LUC to require Waiale to include analyses of the project connecting to a NEW regional treatment facitliy, not put more burden on an aged plant in a Tsunami/ inundation zone.

9. There is another Map for Wai'ale, a design that protects natural dunes. Waiale project was reviewed during Maui Island Plan process and maps adopted for the area set aside open space to protect dunes and burials. PLEASE ASK: LUC to support the Maui Island Plan Map for the Waiale project area. Community input supported a large buffer area for the dunes AND a large community park. More natural area= less water demands.

Conclusions: Enough is enough! Why can't our kupuna be alowed to rest in peace and watch over the 'aina as was intended? Give Maui people jobs building homes not digging up our Kupuna's graves.

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