The 454-acre Honokowai Master Plan project site, looking makai.

HONOKOWAI — The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) has published its final Environmental Assessment (EA) with a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Honokowai Homestead Community Master Plan.

The proposed master plan development, as outlined in the Draft EA, seeks to create up to 356 single-family residential homesteads, 573 new multi-family residential units and 252 subsistence agriculture homestead lots on approximately 454 acres.

Other planned complementary land uses include up to 14 acres for supplemental homestead agriculture, 71 acres for community use and 146 acres held for conservation.

Approximately 16 acres are proposed for light industrial activities to provide a buffer between the existing county sewage treatment facility and the new homestead community.

DHHL will now begin the engineering design phase of the project that will include boundary surveys, subdivision application and the preparation of infrastructure construction plans.

The process is expected to be completed in early 2025 with construction to follow, subject to legislative funding. The Hawaiian Homes Commission (HHC) evaluated the Final EA and issued a FONSI determination at its January 2022 HHC meeting.

The Final EA and FONSI were published in the Environmental Review Program’s (formerly the Office of Environmental Quality Control) Feb. 8, 2022, issue of “The Environmental Notice.”

A review of the significant criteria outlined in HRS Chapter 343 and HAR Section 11-200.1-13 on the area’s development has been determined to not result in significant adverse effects on the natural or human environment.

DHHL hosted a virtual public information meeting on July 8, 2021, following the publication of the project’s Draft EA and collected public comments during the statutory 30-day public review and comment period.

An additional virtual beneficiary informational meeting was held on Nov. 8, 2021.

“Completing this assessment is a critical step in developing DHHL’s West Maui landholdings for beneficiaries who have been waiting a long time,” said Hawaiian Homes Commission Chair William J. Aila Jr.

“When fully developed, Honokowai will be the largest homestead community on the island of Maui, potentially serving over a thousand Native Hawaiian beneficiaries and their families.”

To learn more about the Honokowai Homestead Community Master Plan and view the Final EA, visit dhhl.hawaii.gov/po/maui.