I recently traveled in a time machine.
As I traveled, I met “aliens” — but they were actually members of our group who had just finished a trip to New Zealand and Australia. The locals probably thought we were unusual visitors from another country, with our American accent and slang. G’day mate.
The only UFOs I’m spotting today, however, are in the Pacific Ocean, where windsurfers emerged as if from nowhere this morning, gliding across 10-12-foot waves in front of our condominium, along with groups of whales jumping out of the water.
A wet winter has arrived in West Maui. The rainfall is appreciated following years of dry conditions, and surfers from all backgrounds are taking advantage of the recent period of large waves.
Regarding the time machine, my wife and I departed Australia on a Friday, then missed a day and returned to the USA (although some Hawaiians continue to not recognize the islands as part of this country) on a Thursday.
I’ll share more about my journey to the southernmost part of the world (depending on where you’re coming from), but I’ll begin with a place that’s more familiar to me, Maui.
It has been two and a half years since the August 2023 fires devastated much of the town of Lahaina, resulting in 102 fatalities.
Although numerous abandoned home sites outside Lahaina’s primary areas are seeing new buildings rise, likely funded by insurance proceeds, unfortunately, very little progress is occurring in the area that was once the core of Maui, Lahaina’s historic harbor.
Even though the removal of burned-out vehicles and what was left of homes and businesses in Lahaina has been finished, and a safe water source is now available, there are several factors preventing any progress — factors that could be familiar to residents of Santa Cruz County.
Among them:
• Administrative challenges such as permits and regulations. Complicated zoning laws, water usage rules, shoreline restrictions, and requirements for historic districts have led to extended approval procedures. The situation is not improved by the fact that the Maui County permitting office is under-resourced, and applicants must navigate the rules that define the town’s “Special Management Area,” which encompasses most of the town’s center.
• Technical obstacles: Power networks, highways, and waste management systems require substantial improvements.
• Workforce and material shortages: A shortage of qualified construction laborers exists, and the island depends on imported building supplies.
• Environmental issues: Updated regulations regarding rising sea levels limit reconstruction in certain coastal regions.
• Cultural conservation: Acknowledging Lahaina’s distinct history and cultural importance introduces additional layers of complexity. All development within historic zones must be supervised by the State Historic Preservation Division. A significant portion of the town is part of the National Historic Landmark District, and structures in that area must maintain a specific appearance and style.
In this manner, Lahaina is distant from the construction happening in Santa Cruz, even though many residents here are expressing that the city is losing its character and visual appeal.
Another issue that remains controversial along the Maui coastline is the temporary rental restriction.
In December, the Maui County Council approved Bill 9, which seeks to eliminate more than 6,000 temporary rental properties, focusing on condominiums located in apartment-designated areas outside of resort zones. The prohibition mandates that these units cease short-term activities by January 1, 2029, in West Maui, and by January 1, 2031, throughout the rest of the county, with the goal of transforming them into permanent housing for locals.
At the same time, the council is still considering exempting up to 4,500 short-term rentals, relocating them into new hotel zones to permit ongoing leasing (and potentially imposing even higher property taxes).
A legal action has already been initiated, with additional court cases anticipated from landowners and the Maui Vacation Rental Association, who claim the legislation unjustly cancels established, lawful privileges.
Legal professionals have pointed out that prior efforts to prohibit temporary lodging rentals on Oahu were previously halted by federal courts.
And you thought Santa Cruz County was complex.
Don Miller serves as the Sentinel’s Opinion Editor and previously held the position of editor in chief for both the Sentinel and the Monterey Herald.
© 2026 the Santa Cruz Sentinel (Scotts Valley, Calif.). Visitwww.MathHotels.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
