Church elder says
flock needs farmland

WAILUKU » A religious elder said rejection of a land-use permit to allow the building of a church in Upcountry Maui would put a "real burden" on his congregation.

Thomas Foster of Hale O Kaula Church said use of the 6-acre agricultural parcel is tied to their belief in integrating worship with farming.

"It's all a part of our religious experience," Foster said. "The expression of our faith is integrated in our lifestyle."

Foster was among several people to testify yesterday at the reopening of a contested-case hearing on his church's request for a special-use permit on agricultural land at Anuhea Place, makai of the Kula 200 subdivision and Kula Highway.

Hale O Kaula, a nondenominational Christian group, wants to build the church on the second story of its existing agricultural building.

Several residents along the private street have argued a church would put an unusual burden on the ranch setting and on public services, including traffic and the fire protection.

The Maui Planning Commission has turned down the church's application twice, the latest in June 2001.

The church, appealing the commission's decision to federal court, argued a substantial burden was placed on it rather than other groups, in violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000.

The commission decided this year to partially reopen the contested-case hearing after mediation efforts encouraged by a federal judge.

The church, affiliated with the Living Word Fellowship, introduced expert witnesses yesterday who said the 70-seat building would have little effect on traffic and that its congregation would provide 20 percent more water storage than required by the county fire department.

Under state and county laws, churches are required to obtain special use permits when seeking to build on land designated for agricultural, residential, conservation or rural use.

No special use permits are required for building churches on land zoned for business and country-town business.

The hearing is scheduled to continue today at 8:30 a.m. at the Iwado Court Reporters Inc. building at 2233 Vineyard St. The Maui Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to review the application on Nov. 9.