A proposal for a new single-family home at 1191 Front St. in Lahaina’s National Historic Landmark District is officially up for public scrutiny, as the state has opened a 30-day review of a draft environmental assessment for the project. The filing says Bourbon Neat LLC is seeking permits for a roughly $2.5 million, one-story, 1,830-square-foot house on a 0.55-acre parcel, with a 600-square-foot two-car garage and a 321-square-foot lānai. Because the lot sits inside the historic district and close to the shoreline, the plan triggers a Special Management Area review and a special flood-hazard permit, and the public comment period runs through April 22, 2026.
Draft EA and how to comment
According to Maui Now, consulting firm Munekiyo & Hiraga prepared the draft environmental assessment, which starts the statutory 30-day window for public comment. The applicant’s draft anticipates a Finding of No Significant Impact and invites written feedback through April 22, 2026. Comments may be emailed to Munekiyo & Hiraga at [email protected] so they can be included in the official administrative record.
Site, zoning and parcel details
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ jurisdictional determination identifies the review area as TMK (2) 4-5-004:010-0004, records the parcel at 0.55 acres and finds no jurisdictional waters on the property. Maui County records show the lot lies inside the Lahaina National Historic Landmark District and is part of a four-unit condominium property regime, which subjects the project to county design review and historic-district oversight. Those overlapping requirements are why the proposal will move through multiple local and state reviews before any building permits can be issued.
What the filing says about ownership and use
Application materials filed with the draft EA list Mari and Jefferey Stein of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as contacts for Bourbon Neat LLC. They state that the planned house is intended to serve as their permanent residence rather than a short-term rental. The draft explains that the project will need a Special Management Area use permit and a special flood-hazard development permit, and notes that the county planning department has told reviewers the proposal is not eligible for a standard SMA exemption. The filing estimates construction would take about two years once all permits are in hand, a timeline laid out in the public notice and draft assessment reported by Maui Now.
Why this one draws attention
Rebuilding along Front Street has been among the most contentious pieces of Lahaina’s recovery, as property owners, preservation advocates and county staff weigh historic character against shoreline risks and newer permitting rules. Local reporting describes a maze of approvals for makai parcels, with many owners wrestling with updated flood maps, lease complications and historic-district requirements while trying to rebuild after the August 2023 wildfires. That broader context, including questions about public shoreline access and sea-level-rise vulnerability, shapes how the community views individual proposals like this one, according to Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
Next steps
Written comments on the draft environmental assessment are due by April 22, 2026, and should be sent to [email protected]. The consultant’s website and the public notice list additional contact and filing details. After the comment window closes, the EA record will be finalized, and the applicant will move ahead with required permit applications, including SMA reviews and county hearings. If the project clears those steps and keeps to its stated schedule, on-site construction could take roughly two years, although additional studies, appeals or permit conditions could stretch that timeline.
