What is happening with Pāʻia Town Development?

In mid-May 2026, Baldwin Avenue residents (well, some of them) received a letter from Eagle Canyon Capitolʻs Sam Hirbod. The letter (mailed from a Miami mailing address) outlined how the developer had been meeting with Pāʻia residents about town needs and was thus proposing a change of zoning for ~40 acres in Lower Pāʻia.

For the majority of Pāʻia residents, however, the letter was the first time hearing about development plans for the area.

As outlined by Maui News, the proposed EC Pāʻia LLC project is getting fast-tracked through a process known as a council initated community plan amendment and change of zoning via Councilmember Nohe Uʻu-Hodgins.

Traditionally, private developers are requried to submit a robust application to the County that includes (but is not limited to):

• Traffic impact studies

• Preliminary archaeological and historical data

• Analysis of secondary impacts of proposed use on surrounding uses including property value, populations, housing, community services, facility needs, compatability with surrounding uses, etc.

• Water source, supply, and distribution analysis

• Sewage disposal analysis

• Solid waste disposal analysis

• Identification of meetings held with the community or residential groups which may be impacted by the development, major issues raised, and any measures proposed by developer to mitigate these issues

• Environmental Assessment / Environmental Impact Statement

EC Pāʻia LLC has provided none of these analysis or studies. Instead, with the guidance of Councilmember Uʻu-Hodgins, they are able to bypass these critical review processes.

Timeline:

• December 2016 - Sam Hirbod purchases 340 acres of A&B Agriculture Land for $9.9 million. The Pāʻia Community hears very little from Hirbod over the next 10 years.

• May 2026 - Maui County Council approves Resolution 26-84.to amend the Pāʻia-Hāʻiku Community plan and a bill to change the zoning of 5 portions of 40 acres in lower Pāʻia from Class A Agriculture to Multi-Family, Business/Commercial, Single-Family, and Public/Quasi Public

• Next Step - Project heads to the Maui Planning Commission for review and input.

While re-zoning and developing land - especially the last 40 acres in Lower Pāʻia - should theoretically take a number of years and careful planning and review, Councilmember Uʻu-Hodgins is attempting to make this development happen as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, that will be at the expense of the community who will be plagued with more traffic, urban sprawl, and a continued lack of safe emergency exit routes.