2017-08-15 Kailua Village Design Commission Minutes

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Commissioner Van Pernis commented that he was not opposed to having a hotel servicing different clientele than the hotels along the coast, but that he was concerned about impact on the public view. He said that people would be looking at a 65-foot high building as they travel down Henry Street. He further said that except for a small portion of the Henry Street frontage there was no landscaping proposed, including along Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway, and that the building height could be broken up more by trees than the proposed color scheme. Mr. Harris-Glade explained that not much landscaping was planned for those sections because there was another parcel between the subject property and Henry Street and there was the 25-foot drop on the Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway side; however, he said that he had no problem with providing additional landscaping. Mr. Ramzanalli affirmed Mr. Harris-Glade’s statement, and added that the landscaping would be done by a licensed landscaper. Commissioner Van Pernis further commented that he wished there had been more landscaping at the Holiday Inn Express in downtown, which was an eyesore to the community in his opinion, and that since the property in question was in a more visible location, much more landscaping was needed. He also added that the 25-foot drop did not excuse them from landscaping the area because pedestrians on Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway could look down and see the project. In response to Commissioner Van Pernis’ question, Mr. Harris-Glade stated that their roof-mounted solar panels would not be visible because they would be hidden in the roof well. Commissioner Van Pernis also expressed his disapproval of the proposed colors, especially the barn red, and said he would prefer earth-tone colors, such as beige or green. Commissioner Ching said that he also preferred earth-tone colors. In response to Commissioner Ching’s question, Mr. Harris-Glade stated that the site plan was depicting some existing features based on a survey, including barbed wire fence in the highway right-of-way. He further stated that they were not going to install any barbed wire fence within the project site. Commissioner Sullenberger commented that the north-west corner needed some horizontal separation or buffer to soften the vertical change from the street to the building, and that the roofline needed some articulation, such as overhang, to mitigate the horizontal look. Commissioner Roth also commented that the architectural design in general did not represent Kailua-Kona, and that the applicant’s presentation should include more information, such as the slopes and the surroundings, for the Commissioners to better visualize the project within the context of the village. In response to Mr. Dunlap’s suggestion to flip the building in the north-west corner of the site, Mr. Harris-Glade said that although he had to think through the operational functionality, he could take a look at the possibility. Commissioner Roth commented, however, that along a busy road like Henry Street he would rather see a well-treated tall façade than a pool area. In response to Commissioner Van Pernis’ question, Mr. Harris Glade stated that the site elevation could not be reduced because of the adjoining floodplain. Commissioner Au Hoy expressed her concern about the archaeological site and the Great Wall of Kuakini. Mr. Harris-Glade responded that there was a chain-link fence around the archaeological site, and that a burial site plan was in the file. Commissioner Au Hoy asked the applicant to come up with a treatment that would enhance those sites. Commissioner Roth added that something that would show respect should be done instead of merely a functional chain-link fence. 5