2008-07-22 Kailua Village Design Commission Minutes

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Commissioners expressed some concern about the apparent lack of a Hawaiian architectural style. Mr. Riehm said they were employing various architectural features brought in since Western architectural designs were introduced in Hawaii, citing the hip roofs, small lanai provided for each unit and textured sidings as examples. He asserted that mature, substantial landscaping areas within a development, including large canopy trees, represented the most meaningful way to convey a Hawaiian sense of place, and that such plantings would largely obscure the building forms behind them. In response to commissioners’ interest in having the applicant’s proposed window sunscreens be standard rather than optional on an individual unit basis, as proposed by the applicant, Mr. Riehm explained that because of the added cost of this feature and the developer’s intent to keep the cost of purchasing a unit within reach of middle market price buyers, it was not possible for him to commit this to be a standard design feature. He said the sunscreens are usually metal framed construction for durability. Commissioners also queried the applicant as to whether the Hualalai Road improvements would improve the traffic safety, or worsen conditions by allowing higher speeds. There were a variety of opinions expressed, but no conclusions were reached on this issue. Cmmr. Coats asked about the type of common area lighting to be provided. Mr. Riehm stated that traditional-design lighting standards or bollards were intended throughout the development. Cmmr. Au Hoy asked for clarification as to the impacts of the project on public mauka and makai view planes, that is, views to the sea when looking from above the project and views to the mountains when looking from the lands below. Mr. Riehm said that the 60 – 70 foot elevation difference between the bottom and top of the site, and the fact that the buildings were a mix of relatively small two and three-story building, together with the mature landscaping, would result in no meaningful loss of existing view planes over the project site. Commissioners also discussed the design of the exterior stairwells which were not illustrated on the submitted plan, to determine if they were covered and/or the stair treads and risers covered. Mr. Riehm affirmed that both would be covered and skirted for screening. Window design treatments and roofing material textures were also discussed, primarily as to use of high-relief, texture-effect designs such as “Shangles ™”. Commissioners discussed whether color uniformity among the fourteen buildings was preferable, or if a variety of principal siding colors among the building would be more desirable. Mr. Riehm stated that applicant prefers the aesthetics of single color theme unifying the development, and noted the variation and obscuration that would result from different landscaping effects to result throughout the project site. 6