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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-01-10 Kailua Village Design Commission Minutes KAILUA VILLAGE DESIGN COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I MINUTES Meeting Date: January 10, 2012 Time: 5:36 p.m. Place: West Hawai‘i Civic Center nd Planning Department Conference Room – Building E, 2 Floor 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i, 96740 CALL TO ORDER Commissioners Present: Shane Kitchens, Nancy Burns, Stephen Herbert, John Hetherington and Sammie Stanbro Absent and Excused: Fanny Au Hoy and Riley Saito Applicants/Representatives: Matthew Kilgore, Kyle Tengan, Clement Kanhai, Robert Saito and Brian Shiroma Planning Department: Bennett Mark, Keola Childs and Noriko Sauer Public: None A quorum was present. Chair Kitchens called the meeting to order and the Commissioners introduced themselves. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS None. The Chair suggested that the Commission reorder the agenda and take up the New Business first. There were no objections. NEW BUSINESS 1. Design Review of a proposed office building, principally for providing medically-related diagnostic services (Outpatient Imaging Center). Applicant: Matthew Kilgore, A.I.A. Land Owners: Hawaii Radiologic Associates LTD Corp. Property Tax Map Key No.: 7-5- 004:012. Location: 75-5653 Kuakini Highway, at the southeast (mauka) corner of Kuakini Highway and Ololi Road (the location of the former Kona Ranch House Restaurant). Mr. Childs oriented the Commissioners regarding the subject and surrounding properties on the location map, photographs and plan drawings, and described the request. He noted that the applicant had presented two color schemes for the Commission’s consideration. He also noted that even though the proposed six-foot high chain-link fence was permitted under the Zoning Code, for the Kailua Village it might present an unwelcoming appearance. He suggested that modifications, such as substituting wood posts or cladding the steel posts with planking, along with the proposed substantial landscaping, might soften the look. He concluded that in all other respects, the proposed development appeared to comply with the design guidelines for the Kailua Village. 1 The applicant, Matthew Kilgore, provided the Commissioners with clarification and additional information, which included (1) the proposed fencing was for security purposes, (2) they would install railings for the loading ramp and clad the concrete retaining wall in the back of the building with a lava rock face, (3) their preferred color scheme out of the two proposed options was vanilla siding with a sand green roof, and (4) they would be willing to paint or vinyl-coat the proposed chain-link fence in green and further cover it up with vines such as stephanotis. The landscape architect for the project, Kyle Tengan, added saying that the proposed trumpet vine was similar to stephanotis and drought-tolerant, and that the fence area was designed in such a way that if the vines ever failed, the shrubs would still be tall enough to camouflage the fence. In response to Commissioner Burns’ concern about pedestrian safety due to the poor visibility of motorists around and immediately beyond the tops of the proposed vehicle ramps, Mr. Kilgore expressed the project team’s willingness to modify their civil design to improve the situation, for example, by edging the ramp tops and corners out to create a ten-percent transition gradient. It was moved by Commissioner Hetherington, and seconded by Commissioner Herbert, to recommend the Planning Director’s approval of the proposed project subject to the proposed perimeter chain-link fence being painted or coated to a dark color such as green or black, and also forward a recommendation that the civil engineering design take on-site vehicle sight distances into consideration in order to ensure pedestrian safety across the proposed vehicle ramps. A roll call vote was taken and the motion carried with five ayes (Hetherington, Herbert, Burns, Stanbro and Kitchens), and two absent and excused (Au Hoy and Saito). ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS 1. Approval of Minutes of the Meetings of November 8, 2011 and November 22, 2011. It was moved by Commissioner Herbert and seconded by Commissioner Stanbro that the minutes of the meeting of November 8, 2011, be approved as submitted. The motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners in attendance. It was moved by Commissioner Herbert and seconded by Commissioner Hetherington that the minutes of the meeting of November 22, 2011, be approved as submitted. The motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners in attendance. 2. Election of Chair and Vice Chair for 2012. Shane Kitchens was re-elected as Chair by a motion made by Commissioner Burns, seconded by Commissioner Herbert, and unanimously carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners in attendance. John Hetherington was elected as Vice Chair by a motion made by Commissioner Herbert, seconded by Commissioner Stanbro, and unanimously carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners in attendance. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mr. Mark made the following announcements:  The next scheduled meeting on January 24, 2012, is cancelled since no applications came in by the deadline. 2  For the Commission’s four vacancies, one name is being forwarded to the Council and there are two candidates being considered for nomination.  Department of Public Works has assigned a new staff member, Neil Erickson, to coordinate the Sign Code amendment project. They have produced a draft brochure to better inform the public, which will be passed on to the Commission after a review by the Planning Department staff.  The annual appreciation dinner for the Commissioners is scheduled for January 31, 2012. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, at 6:34 p.m., it was moved by Commissioner Hetherington and seconded by Commissioner Herbert that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners in attendance. Respectfully submitted, Noriko Sauer, Secretary A T T E S T: Shane Kitchens, Chair Kailua Village Design Commission 3