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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-05-25 Kailua Village Design Commission Minutes KAILUA VILLAGE DESIGN COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAII MINUTES Meeting Date: May 25, 2021 Time: 5:20 p.m. Location: Online CALL TO ORDER Commissioners Present: Shaun Roth, Bryant Ching, Jasmine Crusat, Michaela Ikeuchi, Riley Smith, Zon Sullenberger, and Arne Werchick Absent and Excused: Ann Kern Department of Public Works: Neal Tanaka(Deputy Building Chief) Planning Department: Rosalind Newlon (Planner), Deanne Bugado (Planner), Noriko Sauer(Commission Secretary), and Emily Znamierowski (as Zoom host) Applicant: Scott Ast and Michael Petrosian (New Business Item No. 1) Based on the government proclamations and rules regarding COVID-19, this meeting was held online, with live streaming video for the public to observe the meeting. A quorum was present. Chairman Roth called the meeting to order and introduced the Commissioners. Upon inquiry by Chairman Roth, Mss. Bugado and Newlon confirmed that there was no public testimony on the agenda item. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Minutes of the Meetings of December 8, 2020, January 26. 2021 and April 27, 2021 There were no corrections to the minutes of the December 8, 2020, and April 27, 2021, meetings, and those minutes were approved as submitted. The Commission postponed approval of the minutes of the January 26, 2021, meeting at the request of staff. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS None. NEW BUSINESS 1. The applicant, Scott Ast, of Impact Wealth of Hawaii LLC, has submitted a sign variance application for a wall sign to read "Impact Wealth"with a logo, on one side of 1 an existing commercial building. The wall sign would front Henry Street. The wall sign height is 34.5"inches (ht. of logo) by 184.05 inches, for a total of 44.10 square feet. The maximum letter heights proposed are 13.24 inches and 10.46 inches. The proposal includes a sign made of acrylic material with LED modules for illumination. The proposed colors of the letters are blue with the background painted to match the existing approved color of the building. The logo is proposed with light blue and dark blue in a shield-like design with an orange sunburst. The height of the sign is approximately 30 feet. Landowner: John David Rapoza, et al. TMK: (3) 7-5-004: 058 Location: 75-1000 Henry Street, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 Ms. Newlon gave a PowerPoint presentation on the applicant's request. She described the proposed project on site photographs, design specifications, and elevation drawings. She noted that the applicant was applying for a variance from Chapter 3-58 of the Sign Code for the following specifications: the sign area being 44.10 square feet, exceeding the maximum allowable 22 square feet or 15 percent of the wall area, whichever is less; the lettering height being 13.24 inches and 10.46 inches, exceeding the maximum allowable 9 inches; the symbol height being 34.5 inches, exceeding the maximum allowable 9 inches; and the mount elevation being approximately 30 feet above the grade, exceeding the maximum allowable 9 feet from the grade or half of the wall height, whichever is lower. She said that Sign Code variances had been issued to different businesses in the same building before, namely the Borders bookstore in 1997, Coldwell Banker Maryl Realty in 2011, and Anderson Wealth Planning in 2013. She also mentioned that the Commission had recommended a denial of a variance requested by Planet Fitness in April 2019, who then came back in July 2019 with a modified sign that met the code requirements. Referring to the applicant's notice letter to surrounding businesses, copies of which were included in the application package, Commissioner Smith asked if there were any responses from the community. Mr. Tanaka representing Department of Public Works, Building Division, answered that his division was unaware of any responses. He pointed out that the notice did not indicate the 20-day comment deadline, nor was there any proof of it being actually sent out. Commissioner Smith noted that considering the date of the letter being January 13, 2021, it could be assumed that if they had any concerns with this application, they would have responded by now; he said therefore this was satisfactory to him. Commissioner Smith also asked how the County would make sure that the applicant was complying with the national electric code for installation of the illuminated sign, if approved. Mr. Tanaka responded that the applicant had already submitted an electric permit application as part of the sign application package. Ms. Newlon affirmed this and said that it was just excluded from her presentation for design review. Mr. Tanaka added that the electric permit application was on hold pending outcome of this variance request. Commissioner Smith concluded his questions by saying that he would be supporting this variance request. 2 Kailua Village Design Commission May 25,2021,Meeting Minutes The applicant, Scott Ast, introduced himself as co-founder of Impact Wealth of Hawaii LLC, and also introduced Michael Petrosian who was also present. He confirmed that the notice to the surrounding businesses had been mailed out, and that they had not received any response. He also confirmed that they had submitted an electric permit application for the proposed illumination. He stated that their proposal was a side-lit channel, which would not be as bold as the front-lit effect. Commissioner Werchick asked why the applicant needed an illuminated sign while their business was assumed to be operated during the normal business hours. Mr. Ast responded that it was for marketing reasons, as well as for the fact that they often work late hours and have meetings with clients. Chairman Roth opened the floor for discussion and summarized what had taken place with the Planet Fitness signs on the same building in 2019. He recalled that the major points raised during the Commission review were that Planet Fitness had not followed the proper process and installed their oversized signs without the required review or permit, and that the variance approved for the previous tenant did not warrant an automatic approval of the same for the next tenant, which in Chairman Roth's opinion was still valid. He noted that in this case the applicant was following the proper procedure, using a professional sign company. He also said that considering the size of the building and the location being the very edge of the Kailua Village Special District where the adjacent building could have larger signs, the proposed sign size seemed reasonable. He added that he was inclined to support the application. Chairman Roth also commented that he wished that buildings like this would create a master signage plan, as a couple of other projects within the special district had done, which would allow much better and more streamlined sign permit review process as opposed to separate applications from each tenant. Commissioner Werchick commented that he did not have a problem with the proposed size. He reiterated his opinion on illuminated signs that Planet Fitness wanting an illuminated sign was understandable, as they are a 24-hour operation; however, this applicant was a regular-hour business, and while he appreciated their desire to advertise, he was not sure that it was appropriate to add more light and nighttime signage. Commissioner Smith asked if the applicant would consider manually turning the illumination on and off so that it would be on while they were in operation. Mr. Ast responded with his willingness to comply with the Commission's recommendations. However, Commission Werchick questioned how such a promise could be enforced. Mr. Petrosian, introducing himself as co-founder, said that they agreed that signs that shine out would not be desirable in Kona and therefore had thought through it when they chose the backlit design. He said that the backlit design was meant to be subdued and tasteful and to make the sign still legible at night but only from the close proximity. Chairman Roth was of the same opinion that the illumination would be subtle especially in the proposed deep blue colors. Commissioner Ikeuchi agreed with Commissioner Werchick's concern. She recalled how bright and jarring the original Planet Fitness sign had been, and said that the current sign though still illuminated was acceptable because it was quite small. She said that while she recognized the proposed letter height being only about 13 inches, she still had hesitation with supporting the illumination. She asked if the applicant would consider having light pointed at the sign as 3 Kailua Village Design Commission May 25,2021,Meeting Minutes opposed to having it illuminated from inside. Mr. Ast responded that they had never considered creating a spotlight effect, and that backlit was subtler than spotlight. He also noted that their sign was not much larger than the Planet Fitness'. Chairman Roth said in agreement that spotlight would reflect off the walls and it would be harder to shield the brightness. Mr. Tanaka commented that the County has an outdoor lighting ordinance specific to lighting signs, including some timing elements such as that the light should be off at 11:00 p.m. Chairman Roth asked Commissioner Werchick if it would be acceptable to him that the illumination was timed to be off from 11:00 p.m. to sunrise. Commissioner Werchick responded that he did not like illuminated signs, because if it was not necessary, it was advertising. He opined that the applicant was purposing the sign for a billboard function, rather than a directory function, and that a billboard should go somewhere else. Commissioner Crusat said that the illumination was acceptable to her, but that the 34.5-inch logo should be scaled down as Planet Fitness had done with theirs, which would lessen the advertising effect as well. She said that she was fine with the lettering height, but that the difference between the allowable 9 inches and the proposed 34.5 inches for the logo was quite big. Chairman Roth recalled that the Safeway logo across the highway had been reduced from 8 feet as initially proposed to 36 inches. Commissioner Sullenberger was of the opinion that the sign was proportionate to the building as is and would work well with the architecture, and that the backlit illumination would present a very subtle effect. He added that with Planet Fitness' purple being there, this sign did not bother him. It was moved by Commissioner Smith and seconded by Commissioner Sullenberger that the Commission forward to the Public Works director its approval of the application as submitted. There being no discussion on the motion, a roll call vote was taken, and the motion carried with five ayes (Smith, Sullenberger, Ching, Ikeuchi, and Roth), two noes (Crusat and Werchick), and one absent and excused (Kern). Mr. Tanaka told the applicant that their variance application would be forwarded to the Public Works director, with the Commission's recommendation. He also recommended the applicant to provide a communication clarifying that they did send the notice to those surrounding businesses and did not receive any comments back. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Ms. Newlon stated that there were no administrative matters to be addressed. Commissioner Smith, referring to Chairman Roth's earlier comment about a master signage plan by the building owner, asked if that was something that the County could instigate by sending a letter to the owner. Mr. Tanaka responded that while opening that communication could be done, imposing something on them that was not required by the code would be a challenge. Chairman Roth commented that that could be added to the list of future revisions to the Kailua Village Special District guidelines. Commissioner Smith thanked Mr. Tanaka for his attendance and said that it would have been difficult for the Commission to come to a decision on the application without his participation. 4 Kailua Village Design Commission May 25,2021,Meeting Minutes He said that to his knowledge Mr. Tanaka had not been aware of his involvement in this meeting as of earlier this afternoon; therefore, he asked that there be better communication and collaboration between the departments for future Commission meetings, which in his opinion is what the Commission owes to the community and applicants. ANNOUNCEMENTS Next meeting tentatively scheduled for June 8, 2021. Ms. Newlon stated that there would be no meeting on June 8, 2021, since the application received was determined incomplete, and that the next tentative date was June 22, 2021. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Chairman Roth adjourned the meeting at 6:03 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Noriko Sauer, Secretary ATTEST: Shaun Roth, Chairman Kailua Village Design Commission 5 Kailua Village Design Commission May 25,2021,Meeting Minutes