Molokai residents back ban on new developments

Every Sunday, “Back in the Day” looks at an article that ran on this date in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The items are verbatim, so don’t blame us today for yesteryear’s bad grammar.

Kaunakakai >> Molokai residents generally favored a proposal to impose a moratorium on major new developments in the east Molokai region during a meeting Friday night, despite an attorney’s opinion that the moratorium might be illegal.

The proposal is in a bill introduced into the Maui County Council by Molokai Councilwoman Linda Lingle. The bill was among three brought up for discussion during a special session of the council’s Land Use Committee in Kaunakakai.

One landowner, Honolulu attorney Mark Bleuenstein, charged the moratorium could be seen as an “unconstitutional taking of property rights.” Bleuenstein said he represented the Molokai Taxpayers Association, whose members would be affected by the proposal. He also is part owner of east Molokai properties which are designated for apartment development in the general plan.

Bleuenstein’s objection was that the moratorium would be in effect until a new Molokai regional development plan is completed. The plan is being reviewed by a citizens advisory committee, with indications that the plan will eliminate multi-unit developments … in the east Molokai region.

However, most of the testimony to the council favored the ban on new projects until the new regional development plan is completed.

Carol Tvaroh said the council should not have to be concerned with protecting “speculative” interest in property, which is now planned for multi-unit development under the general plan.

A Molokai real estate broker, Stan Alapa, supported the moratorium and said his clients tell him that they are attracted to Molokai because it is a peaceful, undeveloped area. …

On the two other bills pending before the Land Use Committee …, Molokai residents agreed that they favor protecting agricultural lands but that they aren’t convinced the council’s proposals are the way to do it.

One of the proposals sets a five-acre minimum lot size for agricultural subdivisions in Maui County in place of the present two-acre minimum.

The second … creates agricultural districts based on soil classifications with prime agricultural land limited only to agricultural uses.