If you’re building or remodeling a property, you’re familiar with zoning codes that you’re required to follow. Maui’s building codes were adopted in 1960, and have been amended many times to meet the needs of residents, homeowners, and builders.
Unfortunately, what has also happened is that the zoning codes have created additional layers of bureaucracy as well as become a patchwork of different codes that overlap and occasionally conflict. The four-year plan to rewrite and consolidate T19, or Title 19, involves an overhaul of the existing code and streamline it.
Types Of Maui Zoning
Zoning is a governing system that directly addresses the manner, type, density, and location of the development and uses of structures and land. Hawaii’s Land Use Law, adopted in 1961, created an all-inclusive agenda to disseminate regulations for county and state land use.
There are three types of zoning that are used in the US:
- Euclidian coding is the most common type of land-use regulation in the US, developed during the Industrial Revolution. This zoning system is about setting standards for land use for public health, safety, and welfare. Rather than focusing on design, Euclidian focuses on compatibility or incompatibility of uses, such as industrial vs. residential. Title 19 is considered Euclidian.
- Form-based coding is more focused primarily on the form of the building and considers the use as a secondary feature. Because the building and its design are emphasized, regulations can also focus on the community in which the building will exist. This opens up more considerations for things like green public spaces, walkways, and street construction and encourages community use and involvement. This type is easier to incorporate into a new community with new development where developers have a “clean slate” to begin with.
- Hybrid coding combines Euclidian and form-based coding, which includes aspects from both types.
The goal of the T19 Rewrite is to utilize hybrid coding to allow Maui County to keep the historical character, as well as restore and preserve existing development while addressing contemporary needs such as public transit, parking, and mixed-use developments.
The Need For Updates
Maui’s zoning coding has not kept up with current developments in construction and land use. A March 2018 audit of Title 19 found that the originally created codes had become obsolete and awkward with standards that do not promote the environment written into the Maui General Plan 2030 nor the Maui Island Plan.
The zoning code for Maui is called Title 19 and abbreviated T19. It is part of the 22 titles in the Maui County Code. There are now 11 plans that makeup County’s General Plan framework. However, none of them are completely supported by Title 19.
After the audit, Orion Planning & Design was selected to re-write and update Title 19. The process is expected to take four years, and focusing solely on Maui County Code (MCC) Title 19-Zoning. The website for the T19 Rewrite is live with available information.
The Rewrite may change what you can do with your property. As an owner, it will be up to you to know how the current codes impact your property, and what it allows or prohibits as it stands. From there, you will need to keep current on the progress of the Rewrite and what parts are applicable to your property, and how they will potentially affect your use and enjoyment. There will be multiple opportunities for public input during the four-year process.
The current working draft of the T19 Rewrite is available for review here. An FAQ page is available, as well as the opportunity to contact Orion Planning & Design to ask questions.
Get Help From Pro Draft With All Of Your Construction Permit Needs
Building or renovating on Maui is a complicated process with multiple permits required. Pro Draft can help with architecture, drawings, blueprints, permits, and answer all of your questions before the first day of construction. Call Pro Draft today at (808) 579-9050 or 1-800-499-4699 from the Mainland.
