2019-03-05 Kailua Village Design Commission Minutes

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Therefore, the applicant has submitted an application for a Variance from the sign code, Chapter 3, for the height of the letters to be 16”. The sign would be constructed of individual letters with red translucent acrylic faces on aluminum frames with gold trim cap returns (sides of letters) painted using “Barbary Gold Metallic” satin finish. Landowner: Lili‘uokalani Trust Estate TMK: (3) 7-4-015:001 Location: 74-5586 Palani Road, Suite 24-27, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 In her PowerPoint presentation, Ms. Bugado clarified the subject location within the Kona Coast Shopping Center (“KCSC”). She described the proposed sign, and said that each individual letter would directly be mounted onto the building wall itself. She said that there were a number of variances for the KCSC, including ones specific to the two anchor stores, that the latest one issued in 1990, which encompassed all of the variances, allowed the letter height to be twelve inches for the interior tenants, and that, therefore, the applicant was requesting a further variance for the letter height to be 16 inches. Upon inquiry by Commissioner Van Pernis, Ms. Bugado confirmed that there was currently no variance to allow the interior store signs to have letters higher than twelve inches, and that none of the existing variances included provisions about color. In response to Chairman Roth’s question about the square footage of the sign, Ms. Bugado explained that the initial application had come in with twelve-inch letter height; however, the applicant had since found out that they could apply for a variance and opted to increase it to 16 inches. She said that the sign permit application form was prepared correctly based on the 16-inch letter height, but the square footage on the drawings seemed to be inadvertently left uncorrected. Upon inquiry by Commissioner Smith, Ms. Bugado said her understanding was that the Department of Public Works (“DPW”) determined the square footage by making a polygon around the letters in the absence of sign backing. In response to Commissioner Ikeuchi’s question, Ms. Bugado clarified that the proposed 129-inch length did not require a variance since the total sign area did not exceed the allowable 22 square feet. Commissioner Van Pernis pointed out that the photograph in the application showed the business name in two lines as opposed to the lineal design as proposed. Ms. Bugado responded that the photograph was of the letters being manufactured, and that they would be mounted in a single line. The applicant, Andrea Brown, stated that she had nothing else to present. Commissioner Van Pernis opined that a variance should be requested for the proposed colors as well since they were not consistent with the Kailua Village guidelines. He said, however, that he would not object to the colors, if the letter size were to be reduced to be comparable to the other interior signs. Commissioner Hetherington also said that the Commission should stay with the rules as much as possible instead of potentially setting a precedent, especially since Fun Factory was so famous that in his opinion the extra four inches should not make a difference in terms of business. Commissioner Smith said that it was important that the Commission support the 2