* Did you know that Maui County Government wants to close down virtually all vacation rentals & B&B's?
* Why? Did you know that of the 500 (+) complaints received by Maui Planning Dept last year, LESS THAN THREE PERCENT involved vacation rentals?
* Did you know that the Planning Department's OWN independent SMS survey (year) found that IF EVERY VACATION RENTAL ON MAUI WERE CONVERTED TO A LONGTERM RENTAL, it would increase affordable housing by LESS THAN TWO PERCENT? Yet the Planning Dept, when supposedly preparing a balanced, factual report which would be relied upon by the Planning Commissions made NO MENTION OF THEIR OWN SURVEY. Instead, they chose to introduce the report by posing the inflammatory and heartless question: "Should local residents have to compete with tourists for housing?" Also on the Planning Dept desk at that time was a report stating that over 9000 affordable housing units had been committed for building, with the demand being only at 3500. This wasn't mentioned in the report that was presented to the Commissions either. (David, you'll want to verify this with Don Couch - Charmaine turned up her nose in disbelief when I ran this one by her).
* Did you know that if you're occupying or renting out an ohana on ag land, YOU'RE ILLEGAL? (quote law)
* Did you know that if you have or write a month-to-month lease for a "long term" rental, YOU'RE ILLEGAL TOO? (quote law)
* ARE YOU ALSO PREPARED TO BE SELECTIVELY ENFORCED AGAINST? You could be next. Many home businesses/ occupations are also "against the law". You could be next. SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATES EVERYONE'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
* Did you know that Transient Vacation Rental/ B&B is NOT PROHIBITED IN ANY COMMUNITY OR GENERAL PLAN, (both of which officially have "the force of law")? Those plans specifically "limit" or "restrict", which is exactly what good legislation should be doing. Those plans do NOT say "prohibit". We've been asking for regulation and good legislation since the original B&B Bill was passed in 1998! The County at that time said they would cover the other zonings "the next year". How long do we have to wait?
* Did you know that Transient Vacation Rental/ B&B has ALWAYS BEEN LEGAL WITH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT (and in Ag zonings with an additional State Special Use Permit)? Some of our members have filed their permit applications OVER 5 YEARS AGO AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T BEEN PROCESSED. We were told to "wait" while a "simpler, fairer process" was being developed. Mayor Charmaine Tavares in her previous capacity as (X) said "we're not here to close anybody down." Time & time again, the County said "we'll work with you."
* NOW WE HEAR THAT WE'RE ALL SUPPOSED TO CLOSE DOWN. 800 families will lose their homes and livelihoods. (Indep. stdy - Kauaiian Inst, 2005?) 4000 more people will lose part time employment, many of them moms with young kids who can work convenient middle of the day hours offered by our kinds of businesses. Service industries and local merchants will lose 10 - 20% of their customers. The money we generate which stays on the island will no longer filter through and maintain our healthy local economy. Is this the County's idea of a "simpler, fairer, more streamlined" process?
PLEASE! BEFORE YOU KICK 800 FAMILIES OFF THE ISLAND, WE URGENTLY AND RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU, MAYOR TAVARES AND MEMBERS OF THE MAUI COUNTY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE FACTS, EXERCISE HUMANITY AND FAIRNESS, AND ALSO CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ACTIONS. WE WILL NOT BE SELECTIVELY BE ENFORCED AGAINST. "HATE GROUPS" BELONG IN POLICE STATES. THEY'RE ALREADY STARTING IN OAHU. MAUI HAS NEVER WANTED TO BE "ANOTHER OAHU".
By all means, enforce the law. But enforce it equally. That is our right. Know what you will be losing
