Calichi — Maui

Rooted on Maui. Working across Hawaii.

Hawaii engineering has its own set of realities. Tropical rainfall intensities here require NOAA Atlas 14 Hawaii-specific data — regional generalizations from California or the Pacific Northwest don't apply. Island logistics shape every material decision, from pipe sizing to construction sequencing. Volcanic soils behave differently from continental fills. And the State Land Use District system adds a layer of entitlement complexity unique to Hawaii.

We opened our Maui office in 2013 because of our passion for the island vibe and culture. The local presence allowed us to put engineering on-island rather than running projects remotely from the mainland. We serve clients across Maui County, Oahu, the Big Island, and Kauai — from resort development to K-12 school campuses to affordable housing. We know the agencies. We know the process. We know the small details that fast-track projects — the County of Maui DPW review cycle, coordinating with Hawaiian Electric (HECO) directly, and navigating Special Management Area permits without surprises.

Where We Work

Our Maui team actively submits and manages permits across Maui County. We also take on projects on Oahu, where we've completed mixed-use site planning and K-12 school facilities work in Honolulu.

• Kahului
• Kihei
• Lahaina
• Wailuku
• Paia
• Haiku
• Makawao
• Pukalani
• Oahu / Honolulu

Agency coordination depends on project scope and location. We regularly work with the County of Maui Department of Public Works, Maui County Department of Water Supply, Hawaiian Electric (HECO), Hawaii Department of Health, Hawaii DOT, and the State Land Use Commission depending on what a project triggers.

Stormwater on Maui is its own design problem

Tropical rainfall intensity on Maui is not a footnote — it's a design driver. The 10-year, 24-hour storm event in Kahului is more than double what most continental cities see. Using NOAA Atlas 14 Hawaii-specific rainfall data isn't optional; it's the difference between a system that performs and one that fails in its first rainy season.

Hawaii DOH administers NPDES stormwater permits, and Maui County's drainage standards reflect the island's sensitivity to nearshore water quality and coral reef ecosystems. That means stormwater systems here lean heavily on infiltration and on-site retention — not just conveyance. We design to those standards from the start, not as a retrofit.

SMA Permits and the State Land Use District

Projects near the shoreline or in environmentally sensitive areas require Special Management Area (SMA) permits through the County of Maui Planning Department. The review process involves public hearings, agency referrals, and findings that go well beyond a standard grading permit. We've supported clients through SMA review and understand what triggers it, what the process looks like, and how to prepare submittals that don't come back for missing information.

Hawaii's State Land Use District system — Conservation, Agricultural, Rural, and Urban — controls what can be built where at the state level before County permits even enter the picture. Knowing which district a parcel sits in, and whether a district boundary amendment is needed, is foundational to any feasibility review. We run that analysis at the outset.

Project Types

Typical Maui and Hawaii projects include:

• Institutional projects (K–12 schools, civic, institutional campuses)
• High-end single family homes
• Market rate multi-family housing
• Resort and hospitality development
• Shoreline engineering
• Flood plain engineering
• Large scale solar
• Large scale commercial and retail
• Industrial
• Stormwater engineering
• General civil engineering
• Land planning and subdivisions