Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-10-25 Kailua Village Design Commission Minutes KAILUA VILLAGE DESIGN COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAI`I MINUTES Meeting Date: October 25, 2022 Time: 2:04 p.m. Location: Live-stream online meeting, with the West Hawaii Civic Center, Planning Department Conference Room, Building E, 2nd Floor, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, as the in-person meeting site CALL TO ORDER Commissioners Present: Shaun Roth, Jasmine Crusat, Palani Greenwell, Alayna Kilkuskie, Michaela Ikeuchi (from 2:14 p.m.), and Arne Werchick Absent and Excused: Ann Kern Office of the Corporation Counsel: Suzanna Tiapula, Esq. (Attorney for the Commission) Planning Department: Deanne Bugado (Planner), Rosalind Newlon (Planner), and Noriko Sauer(Commission Secretary) Applicants/Representatives: Phil Tinguely, Jason Dearinger, and Roger Lundstrom (Item 1), Mr. and Mrs. Samrit Ounyoung (Item 2), and Peter Piper and Jakob Barrientos (Item 3) A quorum was present. Chairman Roth reminded the Commissioners to keep their cameras on. Commissioner Greenwell made a disclosure that his draftsman was on the other side of the divider in his location[but not participating in the meeting]. Chairman Roth called the meeting to order at 2:04 p.m.; however, there was a technical issue with Commissioner Werchick's camera, which caused fewer than the quorum members to be visible on the screen. The issue was resolved in nine minutes. Confirming the quorum on the screen, Chairman Roth resumed the explanation of the Commission's duties and meeting procedure. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Minutes of the Meeting of August 23, 2022. At 2:14 p.m. Chairman Roth asked if there were any corrections to the minutes. No corrections were offered, and the minutes were approved as circulated. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS Chairman Roth confirmed with Ms. Newlon that there were no statements from the public. 1 UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1. PL-KVD-2022-000018: The applicant, Walua Partners LLC, is requesting design review of proposed 18 residential/vacation units in two 2-story buildings and three 1-story buildings at 75-5885 Walua Road. The exterior colors include a combination of gray and tan, and use of metal roofing, stucco walls with horizontal bevel siding, entry porch, and windows with vinyl trim. The proposed development also includes off-street parking,pool, office with storage, and landscaping. This application was previously reviewed at the August 23, 2022, meeting where the Commission voted to defer to the next available meeting. Applicant: Walua Partners LLC Landowner: Walua Partners LLC TMK: (3) 7-5-018:095 Location: 75-5885 Walua Road, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 The Commission took up this item at 2:15 p.m. The Commission had reviewed this application at its August 23, 2022, meeting and voted to defer so that the Commissioners who were absent then could have the opportunity to participate in decision-making. Ms. Newlon went over the PowerPoint presentation that she had previously given. Asked by Chairman Roth, she confirmed that no changes had been received from the applicant since the previous meeting. She also noted that the Commission's main discussion at that meeting had been on the use of the proposed project as vacation rental, and that the Commission had not requested any changes to the design. There being no questions of staff from the Commissioners, Chairman Roth called upon the applicant's representatives for their presentation. Mr. Tinguely, apologizing that he had not been available at the previous meeting, provided additional background information, including the following: His group has owned the property for 18 years during which they worked with the County agencies to develop a commercial mixed-use project but eventually decided to cancel it for economic reasons; in 2019 the property was in escrow with the buyer being a hospitality group who was planning to develop a higher density tourist accommodation project; the buyer called off the transaction, but it seemed to his group that the property was an obvious location for the buyer's intended plan; his group then decided to develop a lower density residential project, with the opportunity to make vacation rental available within the Kailua Village corridor; they understand the value of water and look at aggressive means of managing landscape irrigation usage by using artificial grass and more rocks; with respect to the archaeological sites, they have implemented mitigation reports done by Alan Haun & Associates and inputs from people like Curtis Tyler; they have worked with the Department of Public Works, Engineering Division, and dedicated a pedestrian pass on the north side of the property over the existing sewer line, which will connect with an existing trail in the Ali`i Cove project across the street and allow the public to traverse between Kuakini Highway and Ali`i Drive; the zoning allows the project as proposed in this urban core community where people can walk and bike, rather than rely on automobiles, and they feel that this will be appealing to tourists, as well as those who want to live close to town and activities; the architectural elements are more contemporary, which they believe is the 2 Kailua Village Design Commission October 25,2022,Meeting Minutes trend, and they also want to bring sustainability and install photovoltaic to offset the electricity needs and solar water heating. Chairman Roth opened the floor for comments. Commissioner Ikeuchi expressed her opinion that although the buildings look nice, she does not think that they follow the Master Plan for Kailua-Kona guidelines. She said that it reminds her of the original ultra-modern Kona Brewpub design that the Commission wanted some revisions to make it look more culturally relevant. She also commented that what is going to be developed adjacent to the burial sites is a concern for her, as she might have direct ancestors that are buried on this property. She further said that she maintains a firm opinion, whether or not it is within the purview of this Commission, that the short-term rentals are not needed in this community. She also commented that there are countless studies that artificial turf, which people assume is environmentally better, absolutely destroys the soil underneath it. She concluded her comment by reiterating that she has environmental concerns, design concerns, and cultural concerns. In response to Commissioner Crusat's question regarding the project's compliance with the parking requirements, Mr. Dearinger confirmed that the project is proposing 40 stalls while the requirement is 23 for the residential component plus five for the office space. Commissioner Werchick, commenting that he is not a big fan of short-term rental units being designed for short-term rental, said that it is a fiction to say that they are intended to be permanent residential units; for example, the condominium projects in the area like Kona Pacific and Kona Billfisher are obviously heavily short-term and mid-term vacation rentals. He further said that although he was not fond of the modern design, there is already no consistency between Kona Pacific and Kona Billfisher, and so it is just the reality of the Walua Road neighborhood to look choppy. Chairman Roth commented that in his opinion these units are designed as residential units, and that adding livable units to the Kailua Village is not a bad thing. He said that he appreciates the applicant being upfront about their initial plan to make them available as short-term vacation rental, and that the Commission approves duplexes and quadruplexes in other areas of the Village without knowing how the owners will rent them out. He also opined that a little more modern design according to the trend is a good thing, and that a metal roof has been used in Hawaii for a long time. Making reference to the Kona Brewpub building that Commissioner Ikeuchi mentioned earlier, he said that it is one of the better-looking buildings in town, so that is not a bad direction for the Village to be going. Commissioner Greenwell spoke in agreement with Chairman Roth and said that a lot of the reason why modern buildings look the way they do has to do with heating and coiling efficiency as required under the recently changed building codes. He said that the architectural design may not be what people are used to seeing, but that in his opinion there was a lot of thought put into the site layout and the layout of the units themselves. He opined that as much as they as commissioners may not like the short-term vacation rental scheme, these are ultimately dwelling units, and what the owners decide to do with them is their business, and that if it is important to the community to not have vacation rentals, it is up to the community to enact laws to prevent them from happening. He concluded his comment by saying that it is not up to this Commission 3 Kailua Village Design Commission October 25,2022,Meeting Minutes to decide what someone does or does not do with their unit and their property that is zoned for the proposed use. It was moved by Commissioner Greenwell and seconded by Commissioner Kilkuskie that the Commission approve the application as presented. There being no discussion on the motion, a roll call vote was taken, and the motion carried with four ayes (Greenwell, Kilkuskie, Werchick, and Roth), one no (Ikeuchi), one abstention (Crusat), and one absent and excused (Kern). NEW BUSINESS 2. PL-KVD-2022-000022: The applicant, Samrit Ounyoung,is requesting design review of a two-story duplex, consisting of two 3-bedroom units,with two bathrooms each, four parking spaces, landscaping, and related improvements, to be located on Ala Onaona Street in the Lono Kona Subdivision. A different applicant previously proposed a different design, which was reviewed by the Commission at its August 24, 2021, meeting and received an approval recommendation. Applicant: Samrit Ounyoung Landowner: 202112WY-10, LLC TMK: (3) 7-5-022:161 Location: 75-197 Ala Onaona Street, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 The Commission took up this item at 2:44 p.m. Ms. Newlon gave a PowerPoint presentation on the proposed duplex. She showed the property location on the Tax Map Key map. She described the design on the elevation drawing and floor plan, and displayed the color samples showing Rocky Ridge for the exterior walls, Echo Valley for the trim, Hickory Grove for the doors and fascia, which are beige to brown shades. She described the roof material as asphalt shingles in black color called Moire Black. On the site plan, she noted that the building and parking are set back from the street, and that a community vegetable garden is shown behind the building. For comparison purposes, she also displayed the drawings of the previously approved duplex, showing much larger footprint, with the parking right up to the street. There being no questions of staff from the Commissioners, Chairman Roth called upon the applicant. Mrs. Ounyoung stated that they had nothing additional to present. There were no questions from the Commissioners. Chairman Roth opened the floor for comments and said that he is very much in support of this application. He said that these vacant lots within walking distance of so many things should be developed with housing projects, and that this proposal seems to be a lower cost type of housing, which benefits the Village. He also commented that the parking situation looks better than the previous plan. There were no comments from other Commissioners. 4 Kailua Village Design Commission October 25,2022,Meeting Minutes It was moved by Commissioner Werchick and seconded by Commissioner Crusat that the Commission accept the application as presented. There being no discussion on the motion, a roll call vote was taken, and the motion carried with five ayes (Werchick, Crusat, Greenwell, Ikeuchi, and Kilkuskie), no noes, and one absent and excused (Kern). 3. PL-KVD-2022-000023: The applicant, Peter J. Piper,is requesting design review of a new church sanctuary and cafe for the King's Cathedral and Chapels in the King Kamehameha Mall on Kuakini Highway. The project consists of interior alterations to a 4,608-square foot portion of the existing building, demolition of an existing interior bar and outdoor patio space, and addition of 1,312 square feet, as well as additional landscaping. All exterior improvements will use the same materials and be the same colors as the existing building. Applicant: Peter J. Piper Landowner: King's Cathedral and Chapels TMK: (3) 7-5-005:005 Location: 75-5626 Kuakini Highway, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 The Commission took up this item at 2:54 p.m. Ms. Newlon gave a PowerPoint presentation on the proposed church sanctuary and cafe within the King Kamehameha Mall. She showed the property location on the Tax Map Key map and an aerial photograph. Showing the floor plans, she noted that the addition of the cafe and kitchen will be created by enclosing the existing outdoor eating area in the northern corner of the building. She said that the exterior color will remain the same, and that the enclosed addition will match the existing color. She also mentioned that the landowner has an off-site parking agreement, as the proposed project will increase the number of stalls required, but that the matter of parking will be addressed during the Plan Approval process. At Chairman Roth's request, she clarified the area to be enclosed for the cafe and kitchen on the elevation drawings. There being no questions of staff from the Commissioners, Chairman Roth called upon the applicant. Mr. Piper stated that the staff presentation covered the application well, and that the main point is that the architecture will remain the same, and the colors and materials of the proposed addition will match the existing building. Chairman Roth confirmed with Mr. Piper that the proposed addition will complete the corner of the rectangular shape of the building, and that the roof overhang will be the same overhang as well. In response to Chairman Roth's questions, Mr. Piper said that his understanding is that the church sanctuary will primarily be used on Sundays, and that the cafe will be open every day and open to the general public. Chairman Roth opened the floor for comments and said that he would be happy to see something happen with that open corner of the building, which has been a disaster for a long time, and that he likes some of the use being daily that will keep the activity in the building throughout the week, as well as the church activity on the weekend. He said that he finds the proposal to be all very positive. There were no comments from other Commissioners. 5 Kailua Village Design Commission October 25,2022,Meeting Minutes It was moved by Commissioner Crusat and seconded by Commissioner Werchick that the Commission accept the application as presented. There being no discussion on the motion, a roll call vote was taken, and the motion carried with five ayes (Crusat, Werchick, Greenwell, Ikeuchi, and Kilkuskie), no noes, and one absent and excused (Kern). ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS 1. Discussion and decision on changing the meeting time for future Commission meetings in accordance with a directive from the Office of the Mayor that all County of Hawaii boards and commissions must convene during the business hours between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The Commission took up this item at 3:05 p.m. Commissioner Werchick requested a meeting time later than 2:00 p.m. and suggested 3:00 p.m. or 3:30 p.m., which in his opinion should be adequate to get the Commission business done within the normal business hours. Ms. Bugado cautioned against setting the meeting time too late for the reason that all meetings will not be as short as the recent ones. Commissioner Werchick suggested that it be routinely set for 3:00 p.m. but with the flexibility to start earlier if the agenda calls for a longer meeting. Commissioner Ikeuchi said that she also prefers a later start time, as she is at work, which she said is probably the case with other Commissioners, as well as public members if they decide to participate. She said that for accessibility reasons and for herself, a later start time would be better. Commissioner Greenwell expressed his agreement. Chairman Roth was also agreeable to 3:00 p.m. Ms. Bugado recapitulated that the consensus of the Commissioners is that meetings are to be scheduled at 3:00 p.m., with an option of starting earlier based on the agenda. 2. Review and approval of the meeting schedule for 2023. The Commission approved the proposed meeting dates for next year[which will be posted on the County website]. ANNOUNCEMENTS Next meeting is tentatively scheduled for November 15, 2022. At 3:10 p.m. Ms. Newlon announced that she was presently unable to confirm whether the next meeting was going to be held on November 15, 2022, and that staff would notify the Commissioners once it is confirmed. Chairman Roth thanked the Commissioners for taking the time and letting the meeting happen so that applicants can move forward. He noted that it had been challenging for the Commission to get a quorum lately. 6 Kailua Village Design Commission October 25,2022,Meeting Minutes ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Chairman Roth adjourned the meeting at 3:11 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Noriko Sauer, Secretary ATTEST: Shaun Roth, Chairman Kailua Village Design Commission 7 Kailua Village Design Commission October 25,2022,Meeting Minutes