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Bill would ease
rules on Hawaiian
building materials

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By Gary Kubota
Maui correspondent

WAILUKU -- Maui Mayor James Apana said he plans to sign into law a bill that seeks to ease restrictions on the use of traditional Hawaiian materials in construction, including materials used to build a grass shack.

The bill, passed by Maui Council on Tuesday, calls on the county public works director to develop an ordinance that considers the use of traditional Hawaiian materials, such as koa wood and pili grass.

The director is to submit a report about a proposed ordinance in a year.

Under the present practices, builders have to seek an exemption if they want to use traditional Hawaiian materials in construction.

Thatched roofing is allowed mainly for decorative purposes in the four counties in the state and only in resort areas. Like Maui, other counties in Hawaii rely upon a national uniform building code based on using Western materials such as Douglas fir, nails, and asphalt-shingle roofs.

Jai Cheng, a Hawaii County planning review engineer, said he's interested in reviewing the report by the Maui public works director once it's completed.

Cheng said on the Big Island, traditional Hawaiian grass huts may be built so long as they are approved by a professional structural engineer, but he said no engineer has been willing to approve them.

"Nobody wants to take that risk," Cheng said.

Douglas Haigh, the chief of Kauai County's Building Division, said the Garden Island is planning to look at using Hawaiian materials as well.

Haigh said Kauai County has approved the use of bamboo as an alternative material for a gazebo and also as part of a private residence.

Maui Councilman J. Kalani English, who drafted the Valley Isle bill, said while the measure seeks to adapt traditional materials to modern uses, it also ensures that changes in building codes meet standards of fire safety and construction strength.