2014-10-21 Kailua Village Design Commission Minutes

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Mr. Childs noted, however, that the proposal was based upon the property’s sub-standard parking lot configuration, and, furthermore, the proposed project would reduce the number of parking spaces currently provided. He said that the Planning Department would be able to assess the parking situation when the required application for Plan Approval was submitted. The applicant’s representative, Stone Wolfsong, stated that Full Life is a nonprofit organization, which services people with disabilities, and that they wished to set an example to the community. She spoke of the project’s visual impact, which she said would be minimal. In response to the commissioners’ questions, she said that the applicant was hoping to get a secondhand wheelchair lift, and, as such, she was not sure of the color at the moment. It was moved by Commissioner Hetherington and seconded by Commissioner Andreae that the Commission recommend the Planning Director’s approval of the proposed project as submitted. A roll call vote was taken and the motion passed with six ayes (Hetherington, Andreae, Akina, Dahlberg, Stanbro and Sullenberger) and two absent and excused (Au Hoy and Broderson). 2. Review of a revised design proposal for a new three-story commercial-residential building on Walua Road. Applicant: Winton Nicholson, Nicholson LLC. Landowner: Ohia Lani, LLC. TMK: 7-5-018:097. Address: 75-5915 Walua Road. Fronting both Kuakini Highway and Walua Road. As background information, Mr. Childs went over the applicant’s initial proposal, which had been reviewed by the Commission on July 22, 2014, and the recommendations that the Commission had made at that time. Copies of the minutes were also distributed. Mr. Childs then described the revised design featuring hip roofs of composition shingles, board and batten siding on the third level, more windows, trellises, a large display window and wood railings. He noted that most of the design elements requested by the Commission were incorporated. With respect to the landscaping plan, he said that the proposal included frontage landscaping along both Walua Road and Kuakini Highway, and that it appeared to comply with the Planning Department’s landscaping rule. He concluded by commending the applicant for reaching the basic principles of the Master Plan. The applicant, Winton Nicholson, circulated paint color chips for clarification, and said that the proposed colors were from the Benjamin Moore historical color scheme. Regarding a canoe on the mauka exterior wall as shown on the drawing, he explained that the owner had a weathered canoe, which could be suspended from the eaves as a decoration; however, that might attract birds to nest there, so they were considering Hawaiian motif carving as an alternative. He also mentioned that he was aware that the proposed lighting fixture Option B would not be approved because there was no vertical shield to generate downcast light as required. Commissioners Hetherington and Akina both expressed their preference for Option A. Commissioners Sullenberger and Stanbro noted that the windows on mauka wall of the third floor, which is the residential floor, seemed inadequate for taking advantage of a view of the mountain and of mauka breeze, as well as for providing design articulation to the wall. Commissioner Hetherington commented that from his work experience he knew that there would not be much of a view because of the eight-foot berm on Kuakini Highway in addition to the elevation drop of the subject property. Chair Bleck also commented from his experience that those windows on the Kuakini Highway side would more than likely be kept shut because of the traffic noise. Mr. Nicholson responded by saying 2