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Home My WebLink About2005-02-18 THALEHANA PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I HEARING TRANSCRIPT FEBRUARY 18, 2005 HALE HANA PARTNERS (SV 04-004) A regularly advertised hearing on the applicationwas called to order at 10:44 a.m. in the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel, Kamakahonu Ballroom, 75-5660 Palani Road, Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i, with Chairman Fred Galdones presiding. PRESENT:William GrahamABSENT & EXCUSED:Rene’ Siracusa Jeffrey McCallEarl Fujikawa C. Kimo Alameda Francis Smith Hannah Springer Fred Galdones Ivan Torigoe, Deputy Corporation Counsel Christopher Yuen, Planning Director Norman Hayashi, Program Manager Phyllis Fujimoto, Staff Planner Jeff Darrow, Staff Planner And approximately 2 people from the public in attendance APPLICANT: HALE HANA PARTNERS (SV 04-004) Application for a Sign Variance to allow deviations from the requirements of Chapter 3 (Advertising and Signs), Article 2 (Kailua Village Signs), Division 1, Sections 3-72 (sign and lettering size), 3-73 (number of signs) and 3-74 (sign height) of the Hawaii County Code, as amended. The property is located between the Queen Kaahumanu Highway and Luhia Street and known as the Hale Hana Center, Kailua-Kona, North Kona, Hawaii, TMK: 7-4-15:18. GALDONES:Commissioners we are on agenda item number 6. Applicant is Hale Hana Partners (SV 04-004).This is an application for a sign variance to allow deviations from the requirements of Chapter 3 (Advertising and Signs), Article 2 (Kailua Village Signs), Division 1, Sections 3-72 (sign and lettering size), 3-73 (number of signs) and 3-74 (sign height) of the Hawaii County Code, as amended. Norman. HAYASHI:Thank you, Mr. Chair and Commissioners. Again to the location map. The property is indicated by this orange circle. It is situated within the Kona Industrial Subdivision. This is Queen Kaahumanu Highway going into Kailua-Kona. This would be the Queen Kaahumanu Highway/Palani Road intersection. If you traveled that particular roadway frequently you’ll note that there is a building with the Gold’s Gym sign as well as the Island Discount Golf, I believe, and that is the building that we’re discussing. The applicant is requesting several variances from the current sign code. And just to let you know the sign code, st there is a new sign code that will take in effect March 1, 2005, so that’s next month. But since this was filed prior to that, we are processing this variance application.Subsequent to- after the new code is adopted, goes into effect, all variances from the Kailua Village district will be EXHIBIT C reviewed by the County Council and approved by the County Council, it will not come before the Planning Commission. First of all the applicant intends to have several signs erected along the walls of the, the structure. It will be facing both streets- that would be along the Queen Kaahumanu Highway as well as Luhia Street. The first variance they are requesting is from Section from 3-72(a), subset 2. Basically, the- that section of the sign code states that the total surface area of all signs shall not exceed in the aggregate 22 square feet on any building frontage. The applicant is requesting to allow up to 25 signs, which would be 22 square feet each, which would therefore exceed the maximum area of 22 square feet aggregate for this particular building. Basically if you look at 25 signs times 22 square feet that will come out to 550 square feet. So that would be one variance request. The second request would be from Section 3-72(a) subsection (c), which basically states that the lettering of these signs shall be no more than 9 inches in height. The applicant is requesting that for- requesting a variance to allow 12-inch lettering or 12-inch high lettering. The third variance request is from Section 3-73(a), subsection (a), which states that only one sign for any business or one sign for any street or vehicular access on which a building has frontage. The applicant is requesting to allow 2 tenant signs for some of the businesses since some signs would be on the Queen Kaahumanu Highway side and some would be on the, for the establishment, would be on the makai or Luhia Street side. And fourth, the variance request would be from Section 3-74 (3), which measures the height of the building-, the height of the building should not exceed 5 feet 6 inches from the ground floor. The applicant is providing- requesting a variance to allow signs along the ground floor to be 13 inches-, 13 feet 5 inches high for the ground floor as well as along the second floor that the signs be at the height of 27 feet 3 inches or thereabouts. So those are the four- (4) variance requests that the applicant is requesting. Under the new code st that would become effective March 1 all of these variances would not be required except for one (1); and that is the code would allow, excuse me- all of these would require a variance, still require a variance except for one (1), and that would be the lettering height of the letter. The new code would allow a height within this area- for this industrial area, up to 18 inches high. Are there any questions? Yes. GALDONES:Commissioner Springer. SPRINGER:I’m looking at the letter from the Kailua Village Design Commission meeting and they couch their discussion in somewhat different terms. They call our attention to the Enterprise Rent a Car signs. So is that taken up in your discussion of the different sections? HAYASHI:Okay, the- initially when the applicant submitted the application, variance application that included the Enterprise Car sign. When they submitted the request to the-, and when that request went to the Kailua Village Design Commission, the Kailua Village 2 Design Commission recommended denial of that sign. So the applicant had since withdrawn the Enterprise signs from consideration. SPRINGER:Thank you. GALDONES:Seeing no further questions from the Commissioners, is the applicant or his representative here? (No response.) HAYASHI:Just for the record, notice has been sent to the applicant or applicant’s representative. GALDONES:Thank you, Norman. Is there anyone here from the public to testify on the subject matter now before the Hawai`i County Planning Commission? Seeing none, Commissioners, the Planning Director is recommending approval by the Planning Commission on this application. Commissioner Graham. GRAHAM:I’d like to ask one question before we take action. When I look at the proposed signage photos in the County of Hawai`i background report, there are about 5 or 6 sheets of paper from the front. It’s a, they’re the ones that show what the signages look like. In any case, I’m sure sign size, also it does look very nice and it’s not problematic at all in my opinion. And I’m just wondering that part of that is because of signs, a large part of the lettering, kind of above the same consistent background that is all over the building. Does this request including- in any way guarantee that that’s what the signs will eventually look like or could somebody put a purple board with the same size as one of the lettering edge or something like that? HAYASHI:No. I think, what you see is what you get. If you notice, these signs are already up there. It’s gray- I mean the background, I think the building was gray and the letter is kind of white- white shaded areas- white color. GRAHAM:Thank you. ALAMEDA:I have a question. GALDONES:Mr. Alameda. ALAMEDA:Mr. Chair, so that applicant is not here, how does that affect the protocol? GALDONES:It’s the wishes of the Commissioners whether absence of any testimony from the applicant will sway your vote in any way. So you deal with whatever information is before you. ALAMEDA:Thank you. 3 GALDONES:Commissioners, if there’s no further discussion we are to act on the subject matter now before us. Commissioner Alameda. ALAMEDA:Mr. Chair. I make a motion to approve the request for a sign variance to the County Council-, the request for a sign variance for Hale Hana Center to allow deviations from the requirements of Chapter 3 which is the Advertising and Signs, Article 2 which is the Kailua Village Signs, Division 1, Sections 3-72 (sign and lettering size), 3-73 (number of signs) and 3-74 (sign height) of the Hawaii County Code, as amended. SPRINGER:Second. GALDONES:It has been moved by Commissioner Alameda and seconded by Commissioner Springer that Hale Hana Partners sign variance application SV 04-004 -. Commissioner Alameda just one amendment to your motion and that is the Planning Commission has the final approval, it does not have to be forwarded to the County Council. ALAMEDA:Oh, okay. GALDONES:With that correction? ALAMEDA:Yes, with that correction then I move. GALDONES:That the applicant- application be approved by the Planning Commission along with the background report and the recommendations. Further discussion? Seeing none, Norman. HAYASHI:Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioner Alameda? ALAMEDA:Aye. HAYASHI:Commissioner Springer? SPRINGER:Yes. HAYASHI:Commissioner Graham? GRAHAM:Aye. HAYASHI:Commissioner McCall? MCCALL:Aye. HAYASHI:Commissioner Smith? SMITH:Aye. HAYASHI:Chair Galdones? 4 GALDONES:Aye. HAYASHI:Mr. Chair motion carries. GALDONES:Thank you very much Norman. The discussion ended at 10:55 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Lynette Sanemitsu, West Hawai`i Secretary 5