Council chair plans to close the lid on big box retailers

The Maui News
Saturday, January 27, 2007
By ILIMA LOOMIS, Staff Writer

WAILUKU - Maui County Council Chairman Riki Hokama is proposing a ban on "superstores," which could prevent any new big box retailers from opening shop on Maui.

The proposal would change land-use laws to prohibit stores that occupy more than 90,000 square feet, stock more than 25,000 different products or dedicate more than 20,000 square feet to groceries. In a written message to council members, Hokama said superstores contradict smart-growth principles, and noted that the Big Island, Kauai and Honolulu are contemplating similar policies.

"The experience of communities across the United States has shown that the development of 'superstores' . . . results in tremendous adverse community impacts, including traffic congestion, increased demand on government infrastructure,

negative environmental consequences and harmful, often fatal, impacts on small businesses," he wrote.

Through staff, Hokama said he would not speak to The Maui News about the proposal.

Several businesses on Maui already qualify as superstores, including Costco, at 136,000 square feet; Wal-Mart, at 141,892 square feet; and Home Depot, at 150,500 square feet.

Planning Director Jeff Hunt said he wasn't aware of any specific proposals to bring more big box retailers to the island. He said he hadn't yet taken a position on the proposal

"I wouldn't make a blanket statement yes or no," he said. "I think there are impacts superstores bring, and it's legitimate to try to address those impacts. There are also benefits some of them bring."

Observers had mixed opinions on the proposal.

Maui Chamber of Commerce President Pamela Tumpap said it was "odd" to consider banning superstores while the county is about to embark on a review and update of the General Plan. She said the chamber is opposed to "unilateral governmental moratoria."

"With our population and the large stores we already have, it may be some time down the road before this needs to be addressed," she said. "Given our many other community needs . . . there are more important and urgent issues at hand."

Tumpap said she wasn't aware of any large retailers looking to enter the Maui market.

Ron Sturtz, president of Maui Tomorrow, said his group hadn't taken a position on big boxes but noted that it had previously opposed allowing more superstores in the area of Dairy Road and the planned airport access road in Kahului. "If the goal is to have the feel of an island of small towns and villages, big boxes are obviously not consistent with that," he said.

He said there were a number of "ethical, economic and practical" concerns over superstores, noting that most are owned by national or international corporations that funnel profits out of state. Some are notorious for paying workers low wages and benefits, while others are known as good employers, he added.

Sturtz said there were definite pros and cons to big box stores.

"On the plus side, some of them have helped to lower prices," he said. "The price we paid was the loss of some of the mom-and-pops who couldn't compete."