The Maui County Council on Sept. 26 moved to refer a proposed conditional change in zoning for two adjoining parcels owned by Lahaina United Methodist Church to the Planning Commission for review. Councilmembers approved an amendment to the referral language to replace the word “all” with “several,” reflecting testimony that some structures on the property survived the August 2023 wildfires.

Nut graf: Church leaders said they seek public‑quasi public zoning to accommodate community uses — including temporary volunteer housing, meeting spaces and office space — and noted some recovery funding the church is pursuing will expire in early 2027, making a timely review important.

What applicants told the council
- Kim Willenbrink and Pastor John Crew described the church’s history (congregation established in 1896; main church building constructed in 1922), noted some structures remain, and said the congregation plans temporary pavilions, volunteer dormitories and to restore historic architectural elements as part of recovery.
- Pastor Crew said the church owns about 3.25 acres and plans to use the property to support community rebuilding, including volunteer lodging and office spaces, and requested the rezoning be expedited because recovery funding deadlines are looming.

Council action and next steps
- Member Poulton moved to refer the conditional rezoning for the two parcels (approx. 3.255 acres) to the Planning Commission and proposed a friendly amendment to change “all” to “several” in the resolution; the amendment and the referral were approved.
- The council directed staff to forward the matter to the Planning Department; members asked for an expedited Planning Commission review in light of grant expiration dates.

Ending: The referral begins the Planning Commission process; the church and county staff will coordinate surveys, temporary permits and community outreach as part of the next steps.