One of the factors contributing to the COVID-19 hot spot in Haycraft Park in Maalaea is the multiple jurisdictions involved in enforcing regulations.
The park itself consists only of a small parking lot, one portable toilet and a couple of picnic tables. It is under the jurisdiction of the Maui County Parks Department.
The adjacent shoreline up to the mean high tide line is under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The adjacent mud flats are the private property of A&B or its successors. Given any problem occurring there, such as overcrowding, lack of masks and social distancing, noise and fireworks at night, drug deals and so on, it is always difficult to decide under whose jurisdiction this is happening.
During attempted enforcement, offenders need only step over the boundary from one jurisdiction to another, avoiding any corrective action. During the hours the gates to the park area are closed, people simply gain access to the shoreline and adjacent mud flats by driving in unrestricted over the former A&B cane-haul roads. Perhaps our mayor should look into this.
Robert Riebling
Maalaea
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