Maui County is seeking public input on a draft plan for a 262-acre Upcountry Maui Agricultural Park on former sugar-cane land near Ōmaʻopio and Pūlehu roads. If built, the proposed park would divide the site into 28 improved farm lots for diversified agriculture, creating additional space for farmers and businesses near the existing Kula Agricultural Park.
The proposed site is about 0.7 miles makai of the existing Kula Agricultural Park, according to Maui Now. It would be a separate park, though the proposal calls for connecting it to infrastructure at the older park. The land was formerly used to grow sugar cane, including by Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co., the outlet reported.
Existing park offers a point of comparison
Maui County says its existing Kula Agricultural Park has 31 lots across 445 acres and supports 26 local producers. The Department of Agriculture describes the park’s purpose as giving Maui farmers a place to thrive; its reported harvest includes Kula onions, turf grass, nursery products, tropical flowers, bananas and dryland kalo. Those figures describe the existing park, not the proposed 28-lot site, according to the Maui County Department of Agriculture. For historical context, The Maui News reported that Alexander & Baldwin announced on Jan. 6, 2016, that Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. would end operations after that year’s harvest. That was an islandwide shift in the sugar industry, separate from the current proposal for agricultural use of the former cane land in Kula.
The draft proposes leasing the 28 sites to local farmers and businesses for diversified agriculture. Plans also call for roads, electrical service to each lot and an irrigation system that would deliver non-potable water to the sites.
Water Upgrades Anchor the Plan
The proposed water work includes a 12-inch distribution main along Ōmaʻopio Road and a booster pump at an existing pump station to maintain pressure to the new lots. The plan also calls for expanding a reservoir within the existing Kula Agricultural Park by 2.5 million gallons to help supply the project site.
New Roads to Open Up Access
The draft calls for roadwork within the site and two new intersections on Pūlehu Road to provide vehicle access to the proposed park.
Why the Review Is Required
Because the proposal involves county land and funding, it is subject to environmental review under Hawaiʻi law. Munekiyo Hiraga is preparing the two-volume environmental assessment for Maui County. The draft is now in a statutory 30-day public-comment period, with comments due Oct. 23, 2026.
Residents can review the draft environmental assessment through the Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism document library. Public comments may be sent to Adam Strubeck at Munekiyo Hiraga, who can be reached at [email protected]. Questions about the project itself may be directed to Agriculture Department Director Rogerene Arce, who can be contacted at 808-270-8276 or [email protected].
