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Maui County, HI Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Commission size
Nine members, mayor-appointed, council-confirmed
Public hearing notice
At least 10 days, published in newspaper
Commission report deadline
45 days after state notice of nomination
Mayor response deadline
15 days after receiving commission's report
Appeal deadline
30 days after nomination denied

Summary

Maui County Code section 2.88.070 lets any person or organization nominate a property for the Hawaii or National Register of Historic Places. The county's nine-member cultural resources commission, created by chapter 2.88, reviews the nomination, holds a public hearing, and reports its recommendation to the mayor, who forwards a final position to the state historic preservation officer.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Maui County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

A.Any person or organization including the commission may submit nominations to the Hawaii or national register by submitting a completed nomination form to the state historic preservation officer.B.The commission shall hold a public hearing after receiving notification from the state historic preservation officer of nominated historic properties with the County. At least ten days prior to the hearing, notice of the date, time, place and purpose of such hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the County. Oral or written testimony concerning the significance of the proposed nomination shall be taken at the public hearing from any person.C.The commission shall forward its report to the mayor within forty-five days after receiving notice from the state historic preservation officer. The report shall include findings on whether the property meets the criteria for nomination and a recommendation that the state historic preservation officer either nominate or reject the proposed nomination.

Full Breakdown

030(B). 070(B) requires a public hearing with at least ten days' newspaper notice, at which any person may give oral or written testimony on the property's significance. 070(C) gives the commission forty-five days from the state's notice to send the mayor a report finding whether the property meets nomination criteria and recommending that the state historic preservation officer nominate or reject it. 070(D) the mayor then has fifteen days to transmit a recommendation to the state officer, and the mayor's position need not match the commission's.

060, including design review for properties eligible for the national or Hawaii register, maintaining a countywide survey and inventory of historic and archaeological sites, and administering the federal certified local government program. 080, including the 1984 Cultural Resources Management Plan for Maui County and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Separate historic district zoning under Title 19 is administered by the commission once a district is established by the council, layering design controls on top of the register nomination process described here.

Violations & Fines

The nomination chapter sets no fine, since it governs register listing rather than construction activity. Section 2.88.070(E) instead treats a commission-and-mayor finding that a property fails nomination criteria as non-final: anyone aggrieved must file a written appeal with the state historic preservation officer within thirty days of the denial, or the denial stands. Missing the commission's forty-five-day report deadline or the mayor's fifteen-day response deadline triggers no automatic outcome under the printed text.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who administers historic register nominations in Maui County?
The Maui County cultural resources commission, a nine-member body created under Maui County Code section 2.88.030, administers nominations to the Hawaii and national registers of historic places. Members are appointed by the mayor with council approval from professionals in architecture, history, archaeology, planning, and Hawaiian culture, per the same section.
Who can submit a nomination?
Under section 2.88.070(A), any person or organization, including the commission itself, may submit a nomination by filing a completed form with the state historic preservation officer. The commission then holds a public hearing once the state officer notifies it of the nomination affecting a County property.
How long does the county take to act on a nomination?
Section 2.88.070(C) gives the commission forty-five days after the state's notice to report findings and a recommendation to the mayor. The mayor then has fifteen days under section 2.88.070(D) to send a recommendation, which need not agree with the commission's, to the state historic preservation officer.
Can a denied nomination be appealed?
Yes. Section 2.88.070(E) states that a commission-and-mayor determination that a property does not meet nomination criteria is not a final administrative decision. An aggrieved party must file a written appeal with the state historic preservation officer within thirty days after the nomination is denied.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Maui County

All Maui County rules

Compare Maui County to another location·View the Hawaii historic preservation overview

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