Improving the Community Planning Process in Maui County

By the Maui County Planning Department, Long Range Planning Division

The Long Range Planning Division of the Maui County Planning Department is embarking on updating the six community plans on Maui Island.  Prior to starting this endeavor, the LRD researched planning processes from other jurisdictions and best planning practices from the American Planning Association, and conducted an assessment of the framework used in Maui County.  Out of this effort the LRD developed a strategy to improve the community planning process in Maui County.

Based upon the research of best planning practices and assessment of issues and opportunities for improving Maui County’s process, the LRD set five goals for the upcoming community plan updates and outlined strategies to achieve these goals.  The LRD has started to implement these strategies with the update of the West Maui Community Plan.

Goal 1:  A transparent and inclusive process will reach a broader cross section of residents and increase community trust and involvement.

Our strategy to achieve this goal centers on the concept of bringing the process to the community.  As part of the community engagement effort for the West Maui Community Plan, the LRD has provided presentations and talk story sessions with various community groups and organizations and conducted pop-up planning at fairs and festivals in West Maui.  We also hosted numerous open houses with opportunities for community input and informational meetings on topics related to future growth.  The LRD believes that the community engagement phase is a critical component of the planning effort that strives to obtain balance and representative participation and provides credibility to the process. 

The LRD will also use on-line and other digital tools to enhance the community engagement process and reach a broad cross-section of the population.  We developed and launched the WeAreMaui website as part of the kick-off for the West Maui Community Plan.  The website serves as a tool to engage the community and provide transparency into county government.  We are also engaging the community via social media, including Facebook and Instagram, and launching a photo contest about “this is my community”.

Goal 2:  The community plans will complement, not duplicate, the regional work of the Maui Island Plan.

In 2004, the Maui County Code was amended to require the development of the Maui Island Plan which initiated regional planning and a directed growth strategy for Maui Island.  The Maui Island Plan was adopted in 2012 and this marked the first time that a regional planning perspective was taken, looking at land use, transportation, infrastructure, resources, housing and jobs for the whole island.  Additionally, urban and rural growth boundaries were established for Maui Island for the first time.

This round of community plan updates will be the first time the plans have been updated since the adoption of the Maui Island Plan.  The community plans in the past have functioned like mini general plans for each community plan area, with much duplication across the various plans.  Because of the adoption of the Maui Island Plan, the community plans going forward will look and function differently than in the past.  They will be consistent with the regional policies and framework of the Maui Island Plan, without being repetitive.  They will be land use focused, while integrating transportation, housing, water, cultural resources and other topics as they relate to future growth and development and are specific to the particular community plan area.

Goal 3:  The community plans will facilitate livable communities with a balance of jobs, housing, and natural places.

The updated community plans will focus on facilitating the development of complete and livable communities.  They will focus on urban form and placemaking within the rural and urban growth boundaries established by the Maui Island Plan.  Parallel with the update of the West Maui Community Plan, the LRD is creating new land use designations to guide future zoning and development.  The existing designations are use-based and promote the segregation of uses.  The new designations will provide guidance for new development in terms of form, scale and function in the built environment, and will include descriptions, standards and graphic examples.

Goal 4:  The community plan actions will be realistic and implementable.

To achieve this goal, the LRD will coordinate with the Budget Office and county infrastructure agencies to develop a target budget to prevent developing a “wish list” and setting unachievable expectations.  More emphasis will be placed on prioritizing actions with community input and gaining buy-in from county departments on their responsibility for implementation.

Goal 5:  The adoption process will be efficient and timely.

The LRD will use data to inform the County Council on the volume and content of community engagement.  We will also provide status updates to the Planning Commission and Council at key milestones in the process, so that when they receive the draft plan for review and adoption they will know what the big issues have been and understand the community’s decisions and priorities.

With these goals and strategies we hope to see a number of beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders involved in the planning process.  We hope to build community trust and support and increase community capacity for implementation.  We hope to have efficient plan updates, with departments working together to implement priority actions.  And we hope to facilitate development that addresses the community’s needs and vision and ultimately create sustainable and resilient communities that are ready for 21st century challenges and opportunities and are given the opportunity to thrive.