By Benjamin Finnerty (S), REALTOR® (RS-83812) with Keller Williams Realty Maui · Kīhei, Maui · 808-481-9748

Quick Answer: As of October 7, 2026, Maui County’s Recovery Coordination Directive No. 10 (RCD No. 10) lets the Planning Director approve qualifying Lahaina SMA permit applications (Special Management Area Major Use Permits) for wildfire rebuilds makai of Front Street without a Maui Planning Commission public hearing. Rebuilt single-family homes must be under 3,500 square feet, and other rebuilds must be substantially like-for-like.

I’m Benjamin Finnerty, a REALTOR® in Kīhei with Keller Williams Realty Maui, and here’s what this new Lahaina SMA permit pathway means if you own, are buying or are selling a fire-affected lot on the ocean side of Front Street. The County Office of Recovery announced it on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, and it’s one of the more practical rebuilding changes I’ve seen this year.

What is RCD No. 10, and what does it change?

RCD No. 10 is the County’s 10th Recovery Coordination Directive. It moves qualifying SMA Major Use Permit reviews for Lahaina wildfire rebuilds from a Planning Commission public hearing to an administrative decision by the Planning Director. It took effect Wednesday, October 7, 2026, and stays in place until the County rescinds, supersedes or modifies it.

Why that matters: parcels makai (seaward) of Front Street sit in the Special Management Area, Hawaiʻi’s coastal zone overlay. A Major Use Permit has normally meant a public hearing before the Maui Planning Commission, which adds steps to a rebuild schedule. The directive keeps the review but changes who decides for projects that meet every criterion.

Which Lahaina properties qualify for the faster SMA review?

Only reconstruction of structures damaged or destroyed in the August 2023 wildfires, and only when the project meets all of the criteria. Being makai of Front Street does not by itself qualify a property. The County’s RCD No. 10 page lists these requirements:

Requirement	What the County lists
Location	Parcel within the Lahaina Disaster Area
Shoreline	Entirely outside the shoreline setback (erosion hard line), or the parcel does not abut the shoreline
Historic districts	Entirely outside County Historic Districts 1 and 2; inside the National Historic Landmark District, the project must meet its design standards
Flood zone	Entirely within Flood Zone X or XS
Size	Single-family dwellings under 3,500 sq ft; total floor area of all proposed structures up to 7,500 sq ft
Scope	Substantially like-for-like in footprint, scale, intensity and use

Criteria as listed by the County of Maui as of October 7, 2026. Projects that don’t fit stay in the standard SMA process, including a public hearing.

Does RCD No. 10 waive shoreline setbacks or other rules?

No. The directive does not remove SMA requirements, shoreline setbacks, environmental rules, historic preservation requirements or coastal resource protections. The Planning Director can still require additional studies, conditions or agency review (for coastal hazards, cultural resources, drainage or infrastructure, for example), can refer an application to the Planning Commission, and administrative decisions can be appealed to the Commission.

It also doesn’t cover SMA Exemptions or SMA Minor Permits; those stay in the existing review process. For the bigger picture on how the SMA and setbacks work, see my guide to Maui shoreline setback and SMA rules for oceanfront buyers.

What does the Lahaina SMA permit change mean for buying or selling a lot?

For qualifying parcels, it removes one of the scheduling unknowns in a rebuild. The question for buyers and sellers shifts from “will this need a public hearing?” to “does this specific parcel meet every criterion?”

Some context, as of October 2026:

• The REALTORS® Association of Maui recorded 28 land sales in the Lahaina MLS area from January through September 2026, at a median of $640,000, compared with 32 sales at $600,000 in the same period of 2025. Those figures cover lots across the whole Lahaina area, not only makai parcels.
• On Monday, October 12, 2026, a blessing marked the start of construction at 612 Front Street, which Maui Now described as the first commercial rebuild on Front Street since the fire. The target opening is summer 2027.

Neither says anything certain about a particular lot’s value or timeline, but both show parts of Lahaina moving from planning to building.

My Take: What I’m Telling Lahaina Buyers and Sellers

If you’re selling a makai lot, I’d find out whether the parcel meets the RCD No. 10 criteria before listing, not after. The County recommends contacting the Planning Department before applying and checking SMA, shoreline, historic district, National Historic Landmark District and flood zone status in the County’s Land Use Viewer. A lot that clearly qualifies is easier to explain to buyers. A lot that doesn’t should be marketed accurately as needing the standard process, with what you learned disclosed in writing.

If you’re buying, treat qualification as its own due-diligence item with time built into your contingency period. “Like-for-like” is the key phrase: a plan for a larger home, a different use or added structures may fall outside the criteria. Ask for records on the prior structure, confirm the flood zone on the current flood map, check where the parcel sits relative to Historic Districts 1 and 2, and talk with an architect or planner who has handled Lahaina SMA applications.

For both sides, remember this is a directive, not a permanent ordinance. It can be changed or rescinded, so plan around what’s in effect when you apply. It also doesn’t change insurance, financing or construction costs, which I’d budget for separately.

General information, not tax or legal advice; confirm with a CPA or Hawaiʻi attorney, and confirm permitting questions directly with the Maui Planning Department.

For more background, see what Lahaina’s slow rebuild means for Maui real estate and who now qualifies for up to $1.2 million in Lahaina and Kula rebuilding aid.

FAQ

When did Lahaina’s streamlined SMA permit process take effect?

October 7, 2026, under Recovery Coordination Directive No. 10. The County announced it on October 13, 2026.

Do all properties makai of Front Street qualify?

No. A project must meet every criterion, including location in the Lahaina Disaster Area, the shoreline, flood zone, historic district and size limits, and it must be substantially like-for-like.

What is the size limit for a rebuilt home under RCD No. 10?

Single-family dwellings must be under 3,500 square feet, and the total floor area of all proposed structures can be up to 7,500 square feet, per the County’s RCD No. 10 page.

Can an administrative approval be appealed?

Yes. Decisions under RCD No. 10 can be appealed to the Maui Planning Commission, and the Planning Director can also refer an application to the Commission.

Who do I contact to check whether a parcel qualifies?

The Maui Planning Department at planning@mauicounty.gov or (808) 270-8205.

Ask Benjamin

If you own or are looking at a Lahaina lot and want help understanding what this directive means for a specific parcel, I’m Benjamin Finnerty, and I’m glad to walk through it with you. Call or text 808-481-9748 or email benjamin@the808team.com.

Sources: County of Maui Office of Recovery, RCD No. 10 Lahaina SMA Permitting page (mauirecovers.org); Maui Now (Oct. 13, 2026, two articles); REALTORS® Association of Maui, September 2026 Monthly Indicators.