The owners of Hanzawa Store in Ha'iku have applied for land-use changes to develop three small commercial buildings and create two residential lots nearby, The Maui News reported today.

The project is scheduled for a hearing before the Maui Planning Commission at 9 a.m. Aug. 12 in the Planning Department conference room. Owner Matt Daniels told The Maui News the change would also allow his family to expand the 90-year-old store and bring it into compliance with today's land-use laws.

"We just want to be protected," he said. "If the store burned down right now, we'd have to rebuild within a year to requalify, and just getting a permit takes six months."

Daniels has proposed rezoning from "interim" to "business-country town," and a state land-use district boundary amendment from "agriculture" to "urban" for 2 acres.

The change would allow the family to add 800 square feet to the existing store for storage and office space, as well as the development of three new commercial buildings on Kaupakalua Road.

Daniels has said he'd look for local businesses to occupy the space, such as a coffee shop, small hardware store or veterinarian.

"We really don't want any franchise-type businesses, because that would clash with the ambiance up here," he said.

He's also asking for rezoning from "interim" to "conditional rural" and state land use amendment from "agriculture" to "rural" for 1.9 acres.

Daniels said he and his wife plan to subdivide the land into two approximately 1-acre parcels, keep one for themselves and sell the other one, undeveloped, to help pay for their commercial project.

The plan is scaled down from an earlier proposal, where the Daniels' had said they wanted three half-acre lots on the property. Some neighbors felt the lot sizes were too small.

The Hanzawa Store project stirred up emotions in Haiku two years ago, with some neighbors expressing concern it could increase traffic and lead to more development in the rural community.

Other residents said having more small businesses nearby would be convenient and reduce the need to drive to town.

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