LAHAINA — The Lahaina Historic District might be one of the most significant areas of Maui, both culturally and economically, but residents feel ignored or left out by a county government that makes up its mind almost exclusively in Wailuku.

"We can't be regulated from the other side of the island," said Theo Morrison, executive director of the LahainaTown Action Committee, complaining of the long drives citizens must endure to obtain permits or participate in meetings affecting their community.

"Bring back local control, positive enforcement (of preservation laws) and consistency in enforcement," she said. 

It was one of those rare days when Lahaina folks got to voice their opinions in their own back yard as the Historic Hawai'i Foundation began its annual statewide preservation conference Friday at Hale Halawai next to venerable Waiola Church.

The topic for the opening discussion of the three-day event — "Lahaina's Historic District — Does it Work?" — gave the West Maui community a chance to take a realistic look at itself and sound off about modern-day roadblocks or other obstacles to keeping the past alive.

While Mayor James "Kimo" Apana sent his best regards through Managing Director Grant Chun, the administration was taken to task for failing to add historic preservation specialists to various county departments, most especially the Planning Department.

Lori Sablas, a member of the county's Cultural Resources Commission, and Barbara Long, a former planning commissioner, both said such a person was needed to fill the vacancy created several years ago when history specialist Elizabeth Anderson, who advised the cultural panel, left for the Mainland.

"I'm not downing the planning staff," said Sablas. "But it's different when you have a professional preservationist as opposed to just planning with the law."

Keoki Freeland, executive director of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, said the administration needed to assign a county planner/enforcement officer to the west side to reduce numerous violations to Historic District rules, which are routinely ignored because there's little chance of getting caught.

Morrison said the reason she had such a big office at the Old Lahaina Courthouse was because part of it was supposed to be occupied by an on-site planner/enforcement officer. But that has yet to happen.

With the county absent, Front Street business owner Jim Dankworth worried about the moneymakers running amok and crushing the fragile elements of history.

"We have a Historic District that's eroding a little bit every day," said Dankworth, criticizing fly-by-night merchants who look at Lahaina as a quick way to make a fortune instead of "looking at the big picture and being part of the community."

Anderson, who is participating in the conference, recalled when she feared a wave of cultural erosion was about to take place when Planet Hollywood moved into a Front Street store.

"Moku'ula had just been uncovered," said Anderson, referring to the ancient Hawaiian kingdom's sacred center, which was discovered beneath a ballpark in the last decade. "And I thought, 'Why do we need Hollywood in Lahaina?' "

Former state and county lawmaker Sol Kaho'ohalahala said attitudes need to change to balance the "inherent conflicts" of trying to make a living doing business on Front Street. He said it is one of the highest rent districts in the state, while preserving history can be expensive and cumbersome.

"Each business must come to recognize and accept what we believe are assets to the community," said Kaho'ohalahala. "I'm not talking money assets, I'm talking resources: prehistory, the monarchy, Lahainaluna School, the whaling era, the plantation era. What more could we want in Lahaina?"

Earlier, the audience learned from special guest Jack Williams, past president of the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, how valuable a genuine historic town can be. Williams said the fastest growing segment of the visitor industry is the "heritage tourist," who tends to stay longer and spend more money.

"But they want to see something authentic," said Williams.

Anderson pointed out that Lahaina has long tried to protect the remnants of its rich past for both residents and visitors. The community established the first section of the Historic District in 1962 and expanded it in 1967.

"Lahaina was one of the earliest local governments to establish a Historic District," said Anderson.

She said the challenge for such a district means "giving an old building a new use without mucking it up. You need to repair, not replace, and, if you must replace, you must visually replicate what you're replacing."

Those in the audience agreed that such preservation activity would have a much better chance of happening more often in Lahaina if the county established a presence in the heart of the Historic District and became more a part of the community so vital to the entire island.

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