A drawing shows the proposed site plan for the South Maui Community Park. The Maui County Parks and Recreation Department is updating original plans for the park’s next phases, including consolidating future playing fields but adding more open park space. Illustration courtesy of Maui County
Original plans for the South Maui Community Park’s next phases have changed to consolidate future playing fields while adding more open park space for community events, a playground and a picnic area.
The park, which sits on a 42-acre parcel at 1501 Liloa Drive in Kihei, already has a gymnasium, soccer field, softball field and two restroom buildings. There is also a playground and picnic tables.
On Tuesday the Maui Planning Commission approved amendments to the South Maui Park Community Park Master Plan, including extending the time for construction to be completed and changing the project scope to meet community needs and minimize costs for excavation and grading.
The county Department of Parks and Recreation had asked for some of the changes in hopes of reducing parking demand and traffic congestion, according to planning documents. The new site plan was drawn up based on an 11-month planning process with the public and a 2017 resident survey on the most popular recreational activities. Changes include:
• Consolidating the originally proposed baseball and softball fields into one full-sized baseball field.
Kihei AYSO teams play a game on opening day of the 2017 season at the South Maui Community Park in Kihei. Originally planned for development in three phases, the park currently includes a gymnasium, soccer field and softball field. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
• Consolidating two sports fields into one full-sized soccer/multiuse field.
• Relocating and consolidating the amphitheater, pavilion, playground and youth center building into one community gathering space.
• Expanding the picnic area, multiuse space, pedestrian and bicycle trails.
Developing fewer fields would alleviate the need to do more construction in an area with blue rock, said James Niermann of R.M. Towill Corp., a consultant for the Parks and Recreation Department. Both the baseball and soccer/multiuse fields are being designed to have lighting, he added.
“Both of these fields kind of meet the need to help the South Maui youth transition from teen to adult,” Niermann said of the proposed full-size fields.
More parking will also be added in the upcoming phases, including 84 stalls to extend the parking lot developed in the first phase, a 141-stall lot accessible off of the Liloa Drive extension and an 89-stall lot located at the current site of the Kihei Recycling and Redemption Center, according to planning documents.
The time extension approved by the commission requires the park to be completed in the 15 years following initiation of construction on Phase 2.
The commission also added its own conditions to the project on Tuesday. These included using native and noninvasive trees and shrubs in the project, with a preference for natives, as well as requiring the applicant to consult with the Aha Moku O Maui chairperson and any designee before beginning the second or third phase.
After hearing testimony suggesting the project amendments needed consultation with the Aha Moku, an advisory group which offers input based on the indigenous resource management practices of each moku, or land districts, some commissioners wondered whether consultation was needed, legally.
Deputy Corporation Counsel Michael Hopper said that there is no legal requirement to have the project consultants confer with the Aha Moku, but said it is an option for the commission to consider if it wanted.
Commissioner Kawika Freitas, who brought up the Aha Moku condition, said that the group should be regularly consulted with the way developers do with community associations and some environmental groups.
“Unless we bring it to the forefront at meetings like this, it will never happen,” Freitas said of getting the Aha Moku involved with these types of projects.
Commissioners also were concerned about having adequate comfort stations, or restrooms, including one for the southernmost portion of the park with tennis/pickleball courts.
Currently plans show a bridge over the Keokea Gulch connecting Phase 2, which includes the modified ball fields, and Phase 3 with the courts.
But Niermann said that recently the cost of the bridge has raised concerns for the county as it may be too costly and may not be built.
To ensure that the tennis/pickleball court players will have a comfort station, the commission proposed a third condition to have a comfort station placed in Phase 3 if no bridge is built to Phase 2 where the nearest restroom is located.
The Planning Department’s conditions included that no pathways be built in the Keokea Gulch on the property for safety reasons.
Members voted 7-0 to approve the updated plans for the park. Newly elected Chairwoman P. Denise La Costa was absent and excused.
Commissioners Freitas, William Gordon Greig, Mel Hipolito Jr., Ashley Lindsey, Kellie Pali, Kim Thayer and Dale Thompson voted in favor.
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
A drawing shows the proposed site plan for the South Maui Community Park. The Maui County Parks and Recreation Department is updating original plans for the park’s next phases, including consolidating future playing fields but adding more open park space. Illustration courtesy of Maui County 
Kihei AYSO teams play a game on opening day of the 2017 season at the South Maui Community Park in Kihei. Originally planned for development in three phases, the park currently includes a gymnasium, soccer field and softball field. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photoToday's breaking news and more in your inbox
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