Maui County STR & Zoning Update, July 29, 2026
Update 8/10/26: Maui County Planning Commission is scheduled to meet on September 4, 2026 to review these ordinances.
On July 24, 2026, the Maui County Council passed two resolutions that would transition over 2000 apartment zoned short-term rentals into new hotel zoning. The vote was 7-1.
The properties are currently subject to Ordinance 5909, known as Bill 9, which will phase out short-term rentals in A1 and A2 apartment districts in West Maui on January 1, 2029 and across the rest of Maui County on January 1, 2030. At that time, uses would be limited to long-term rentals (six months or longer), owner-occupied units, or non-owner-occupied (second homes).
Resolutions 26-110 and 26-111 efer specific categories of those apartment-zoned properties to the Planning Commission for reclassification into the county’s new H3 and H4 hotel districts. The Community Plans would also be amended. The properties noted in the resolutions are comprised of mixed uses or zoning, for example: timeshares, leasehold properties, single-ownership units, properties with variances, and units the County says operate like hotels.
Resolution 26-110
"By Ordinance 6008, effective June 22, 2026, the Council established the H-3 and H-4 Hotel Districts. The Council now intends to rezone certain timeshare, leasehold, and other properties as H-3 or H-4. Under Section 19.510.040(A)(4)(b), Maui County Code, a Change in Zoning requires consistency "with the applicable community plan land use map."
This Ordinance provides the necessary consistency by granting a Hotel land use designation for certain properties within the Kihei-Makena Community Plan Area and a Resort/Hotel land use designation for certain properties within the West Maui Community Plan Area.
Among the properties with changed land use designations under this Ordinance are:
- Properties with a mix of Timeshare and Transient Vacation Rental uses
- Leasehold properties, which are difficult to finance and plan for as long-term housing.
- Properties with less than five units and property values that are difficult for the average potential homeowner to afford.
This Ordinance’s purpose is to change community plan land use designations and approve related community plan amendments to allow Transient Vacation Rental uses to continue at these properties."
The following properties are submitted for a change in zoning:
- Hale Mahina Beach Resort
- Hale Ono Loa
- Hono Kai
- Indo Lotus Beach Cottage
- Kaanapali Royal
- Kahana Outrigger
- Kapu Townhouse
- Kuleana
- Lauloa Maalaea
- Maalaea Kai
- Maui Hill
- Maui Sands II
- Maui Sunset
- Milowai- Ma'alaea
- My Waii Beach Cottage
- Paki Maui I, II, III
- Villa Moana
- Waiohuli Beach Duplex
- Additional Unnamed Properties (Kihei)
Resolution 26-110Resolution 26-111
"Under Ordinance 5909, Transient Vacation Rental uses are being phased out of the Apartment Districts. By Ordinance 6008, effective June 22, 2026, the Council established the H-3 and H-4 Hotel Districts.
Some Apartment District properties with Transient Vacation Rental uses that operate like hotels-for example, by providing front-desk or similar services or employing groundskeepers and other staff-are appropriate for a Hotel land use designation within the Kihei-Makena Community Plan Area or a Resort/Hotel land use designation within the West Maui Community Plan Area.
This Ordinance's purpose is to change community plan land use designations and approve related community plan amendments to allow Transient Vacation Rental uses to continue at these properties."
The following properties are submitted:
What's Next?
The next round of Council-initiated zoning resolutions is anticipated to be introduced in the coming weeks. Based on comments in prior sessions of the HLU, it is thought that resolutions are expected to address:
- Properties located within Sea Level Rise Exposure Area (SLR-XA) zones.
- Properties identified under the committee's affordability criteria.
At this time, the HLU Committee has not released the specific criteria or methodology that will be used to determine which properties qualify under the affordability category.
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