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Home My WebLink AboutMIN PWPRC 2018/09/18 2016-2018Committee on Public Works and Parks and Recreation 24th Session West Hawaii Civic Center 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Building A Kailua-Kona, Hawaii September 18, 2018 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Public Works and Parks and Recreation ORDER: was called to order at 1:34 p.m., in the Council Chambers, Kailua-Kona, by Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Acting Chair. ROLL CALL - Present: Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Vice Chair Mr. Aaron Chung, Member Ms. Karen Eoff, Member Mr. Dru Mamo Kanuha, Member Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Member (via videoconverence from Hilo) Ms. Eileen O'Hara, Member Member (via videoconference from Hilo) Ms. Valerie T. Poindexter, Member Absent & Excused STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: COMMUNI- r A TTnNc ORDER OF RESOLUTIONS Mr. Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III, Member Ms. Jennifer Ruggles, Chair The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, Statements from the Public on Agenda Items. (There were none.) The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, Communications. (There were none.) The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, Order of Resolutions. ACTING CHR. DAVID: Mr. Clerk, could you please read in Resolution 680-18? PWPRC-24 September 18, 2018 Res. 680-18: GRANTS A VARIANCE FROM CHAPTER 3, SECTION 3-12(a) HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED), TO ALLOW ONE GROUND SIGN AT THE NEW ENTRANCE TO THE HAWAII OCEAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARK, AT THE INTERSECTION OF KAIMINANI DRIVE AND QUEEN KA`AHUMANU HIGHWAY, TAX MAP KEY: 7-3-043:113 (ZONED "0" OPEN DISTRICT) The Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority seeks a variance from a requirement that ground signs be no more than eight square feet in area, for a sign that would measure 79 square feet, with a maximum lettering size of 13 inches. Reference: Comm. 1058 Intr. by: Ms. David (B/R) Motion to Approve: Ms. Eoff moved to recommend adoption of Res. 680-18. Seconded by Ms. Poindexter. ACTING CHR. DAVID: I believe, in our Hilo office, we might have Mr. Erickson from our DPW (Department of Public Works). MS. O'HARA: He isn't here currently. ACTING CHR. DAVID: He's not there, okay. Council Members, do we have any questions regarding this variance? As the resolution states, it's to allow for one ground sign at that new street entrance to the NELHA (Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority) facility. According to the statements that was made in the resolution, that this sign will not impede adjoining properties nor will it benefit one establishment over another in NELHA. The owner of the property is in the State of Hawaii, and the intersection of Kaiminani Drive and Ka`ahumanu Highway is where this new street sign is going to be installed. I don't see—Ms. Eoff, go ahead. MS. EOFF: Thank you, Madam Chair. I believe there are representatives here from the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority. If you'd like to bring them forward? ACTING CHR. DAVID: Sure. (Note: At this time, Laurence Sombardier, Chief Business Development Officer, representing the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority; and Karen Gast, former Construction Manager, representing SSFM, came forward to address the members of the Committee.) ACTING CHR. DAVID: Aloha, ladies. Good afternoon. Could you please identify yourself for record? Page 2 PWPRC-24 September 18, 2018 MS. SOMBARDIER: My name is Laurence Sombardier. I am the Chief Business Development Officer at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority. I am representing NELHA here, in lieu of Greg Barbour, who couldn't make it. We had another conflicting board meeting at the same time. MS. GAST: Aloha, my name is Karen Gast. I'm with SSFM. I was the Construction Manager for this road project. I'm here in lieu of Alex, who is out on a family matter. ACTING CHR. DAVID: Great. Aside from what the resolution states, has there been any problems or questions regarding this variance request? MS. GAST: No. Actually, we've been pushing to get this done because we need to have clear identifier at this roadway because this is the new entrance. The small green signs that we have on the highway don't really notify people that aren't familiar with the area, so this will just allow us to provide information to the public to come down and enjoy the park and all of its different businesses that we have that we're trying to improve the environment with. ACTING CHR. DAVID: Thank you. I think that makes perfect sense because the highway completion that intersection is huge. MS. GAST: Yes. ACTING CHR. DAVID: So I think getting a sign that's visible is going to help people find the new entrance. I had a hard time trying to find the new entrance, myself. Council Members? Ms. Eoff, go ahead. MS. EOFF: Thank you. Thank you for being here today. My office has been working with Alex, just because, I believe, he may be my constituent, or because the host park is in my district. I know it's taken a lot longer than had expected, but I'm glad you folks pursued and persevered. I was noticing the bleak rockwall, from the intersection, just the other day on the weekend, when I came down. So it's going to look really good with this. I see the drawing on one of the last pages, under the resolution, if anybody else wants to see how it's going to look. Looking forward to seeing it there. So, mahalo. MS. GAST: We'll get it done as quickly as possible. MS. SOMBARDIER: We're looking forward to it, as well. ACTING CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Eof£ Council Members? Mr. Kanuha first. Go ahead. Page 3 PWPRC-24 September 18, 2018 MR. KANUHA: Thank you. The old entrance, I haven't really gone that way. Are they going to close off that entrance, or it's just going to have both? MS. SOMBARDIER: That will remain open. But our main entrance is the four-way entrances, is this one. MR. KANUHA: Gotcha. How big is the sign at the original entrance? MS. GAST: It's about 20 feet long, by about three feet high. That's the stonewall itself. The lettering, I don't really know. It's similar in size, but it didn't spell it all out. This one is going to really make a statement. MR. KANUHA: Which makes sense for it to be—how big? Hundred? How big was this sign? MS. SOMBARDIER: Seventy-nine. MS. GAST: Seventy-nine. Yes, seventy-nine. MR. KANUHA: Seventy-nine. MS. GAST: That's the square feet. Because it's so set far back off the roadway and we want to allow people as they're passing, because you're going a lot faster now, and plus you're also on the other side of the road, because it's not a one -lane each way now, we needed to have it big enough. I made Alex go out on the road, and I held up letters, and I'm like, "Can you see this one, and can you see this one?" We did different colors and different textures to ensure that as people were driving by, we weren't building something that wasn't going to be useful. MR. KANUHA: Oh, I'm all in favor. I think it's going to be great. MS. GAST: Oh, yes. MR. KANUHA: You're definitely going to have it noticeable to those that might not know that's the entrance or the new entrance. But I fully support this. MS. GAST: Thank you. MR. KANUHA: I was kind of looking forward to seeing it happening sooner, but I don't know what happened. MS. SOMBARDIER: It may be that it it's in line with the airport signage, as far as size, and it was based, I believe, off of the Waikoloa Resort signage, is what I was told. Page 4 PWPRC-24 September 18, 2018 MS. GAST: Yeah. MS. SOMBARDIER: It's in line with what's up and down the coastal area. MR. KANUHA: Okay. Thank you. ACTING CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Kanuha. Council Members, in Hilo, do you—Ms. O'Hara? MS. O'HARA: Not really. ACTING CHR. DAVID: Alright. If no one else has any questions or comments, we're ready to take a vote. All those in favor of approving Resolution 680-18 and forwarding the same to the Council with a positive recommendation please say Ic aye. Vote on Res. 680-18: The motion to recommend adoption of Res. 680-18 was carried (Approved) by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, Eoff, Kanuha, Lee Loy, O'Hara, Poindexter, and Acting Chair David – 7. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Members Richards and Ruggles – 2. Excused: None. ACTING CHR. DAVID: I believe that concludes—for adjournment, all those in favor please say "aye." ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 1:44 p.m., Mr. Kanuha moved to adjourn MENT: the meeting. Seconded by Ms. Poindexter and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, Eoff, Kanuha, Lee Loy, O'Hara, Poindexter, and Acting Chair David – 7. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Members Richards and Ruggles – 2. Excused: None. Page 5 PWPRC-24 Approved: September 18, 2018 ACTING CHR. DAVID: This meeting is adjourned. Thank you, ladies. Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Acting Chair Public Works and Parks and Recreation Committee MD/na /0" 71,/ r (Date) Page 6