WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) - A Hawaii company has sold more than 330 acres of former sugar cane land on Maui for nearly $10 million to a California businessman.
Alexander & Baldwin turned the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. property over to EC Paia LLC in December, when the sugar plantation shuttered its operations.
Sam Hirbod heads EC Paia and said there are no firm plans yet for the land, which is zoned for agricultural use.
“We are very excited about the opportunity,” Hirbod said. “We looked at some of economic benefits. We understand that a portion of that property was allotted by the county to account for the growth within Paia.”
Darren Pai, spokesman for Alexander & Baldwin, said the company decided to sell the property after determining its “diversified agricultural plan” wouldn’t be negatively impacted by the move.
County officials say Hirbod could seek to have the property zoned for other uses, but some residents have expressed concern about major development on the land.
Hirbod said he has a home in Wailea and has been coming to Maui for 20 years. His company has developed housing, commercial projects and community centers on the mainland.
“I don’t trust any developer, let alone one from the mainland, and especially one who doesn’t understand and live every day on Maui,” said Moonstar Greene, who owns four restaurants on the island.
She said she wants to see “smart growth” and would support the development of some infrastructure, such as schools and roads.
“I wanna see all these things happen before we just start building houses and making little towns double the size,” Greene said.
EC Paia will begin arranging meetings with county officials and others with an interest in the area, Hirbod said.
“I’m a reasonable person who will always listen to good reasonable ideas. If there are reasonable ideas out there I want to hear them,” Hirbod said. “Our mindset is adding value to the island, to the city of Paia, to the residents and to the county, as well as ourselves.”
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