A long debated South Maui development is back in the spotlight, slimmer on paper but no less controversial. The state has released a draft environmental impact statement for Mākena Mauka, a community proposal that would place 652 homes across more than 1,000 acres and stretch construction from 2028 through 2058. With an estimated price tag of about $4 billion, it is one of the biggest projects on the island, and the new draft has reopened familiar fights over water, traffic and whether part-time homeowners will benefit more than full-time residents. Public comments run into January, and opponents say the plan still misses the mark for local families.
Draft EIS Posted To State Library
The Office of Planning and Sustainable Development's Environmental Review Program has listed the Mākena Mauka draft EIS and 2024 scoping-meeting recordings as published on Monday, which starts the formal review period for agencies and the public. The state posting includes three DEIS volumes along with audio files from last year's scoping sessions. As posted in the state's EIS library, the materials officially trigger the statutory comment clock.
What The Plan Would Build
According to the DEIS, the project would deliver 652 housing units, with 109 set aside as residential workforce units. The income mix for those workforce homes is outlined as roughly 36 units priced for households at 80% or below area median income, another 36 units at 81% to 100% AMI and the remainder up to 120% AMI. The plan calls for reusing the existing Mākena North and Mākena South golf courses for parts of the new neighborhood, adding trails, gathering spaces and walking and biking paths. Most of the new homes would rely on a privately owned water system. These details are summarized by Aloha State Daily.
Smaller Footprint Than First Filed
The 652-unit proposal marks a clear pullback from the roughly 850 to 900 homes first floated when the project filed its EIS preparation notice in 2024, a change developers attribute to revised site planning. Maui Now reported on that original EISPN and early community meetings. Hoodline's July 2024 coverage, Maui Community Divided, captured how sharply opinions were already split.
Local Reaction
Scoping meetings last year, along with more recent planning sessions, have surfaced recurring concerns about whether there is enough water, how much extra traffic Piʻilani Highway can handle and what happens to multigenerational families who feel squeezed by rising costs. Residents speaking at those meetings argued that the plan would serve wealthy buyers and second-home owners more than full-time locals. Supporters, in written comments, have countered that the project includes meaningful conservation measures and attention to cultural resources, a stance highlighted in local reporting. Hawaii News Now covered the fiery 2024 opposition, while Aloha State Daily summarized more recent comments from supporters.
How To Comment And Next Steps
The DEIS kicks off a 45 day comment period for agencies and the public. The project team says written feedback can be submitted through the project's online portal, and the public has until Jan. 22 to respond. After the window closes, the Maui Planning Commission will decide whether to accept the final EIS. Even if it is accepted, that decision would not itself grant building permits; separate county approvals and technical permits would still be required. For instructions on how to submit comments, the project directs residents to its portal at Makenapermitting.com.
Why This Still Matters
Whether Mākena Mauka helps ease Maui's housing crunch or simply adds another pocket of second-home inventory will come down to some unglamorous details: how the workforce units are ultimately priced, how water is secured and whether nearby infrastructure can absorb additional traffic. The DEIS notes that most units would depend on a privately owned water system and anticipates traffic mitigation tied to road improvements planned for the nearby Honuaʻula (Wailea 670) project. Those technical studies and mitigation plans are spelled out in the DEIS volumes posted in the state document library.
