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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-01-21 Kailua Village Design Commission Minutes KAILUA VILLAGE DESIGN COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I MINUTES Meeting Date: January 21, 2014 Time: 5:15 p.m. Place: West Hawai‘i Civic Center nd Planning Department Conference Room – Building E, 2 Floor 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Highway Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i, 96740 CALL TO ORDER Commissioners Present: John Hetherington, Alvin Akina, Jr., Paul Bleck, Adam Broderson, Nancy Burns and Shane Kitchens Absent and Excused: Theresa Andreae, Fanny Au Hoy and Sammie Stanbro Deputy Corporation Counsel: Margaret Masunaga Planning Department: Bennett Mark, Keola Childs and Noriko Sauer Public: Debbie Baker and Ross Wilson, Jr. A quorum was present. Chair Hetherington called the meeting to order and the Commissioners introduced themselves. It was moved by Commissioner Burns and seconded by Commissioner Kitchens that approval of the minutes of the November 19, 2013, meeting be deferred to the end of the agenda. The motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners present. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS The Chair called up Ms. Debbie Baker at this time, noting that even though the statement she was about to provide did not seem to be relating to any items on the agenda, he would allow it to the extent that she was requesting placement of her subject matter on the Commission’s future meeting agenda. Ms. Baker in her capacity as Executive Director of the Kailua Village Business Improvement District (KVBID) took the opportunity to apprise the Commission of their new project. She said that KVBID had just hired a lighting consultant through a request-for-proposal process to evaluate the existing lighting situation on Ali‘i Drive, particularly for pedestrians, and to come up with an improvement plan. She said that KVBID intended to present its plan to the Commission for review and input. NEW BUSINESS 1. Design review of a sign permit application for a proposed marquee sign for Kona Yogurt Company. Applicant: Ina Custom Signs. Land Owners: Pres-Kona Coast LP and Queen Lili‘uokalani Trust. TMK: 7-4-015:001. Located in the Kona Coast Shopping Center at 74-5586 Palani Road, Kailua-Kona, on the northwest corner of Queen Ka’ahumanu Hwy. and Palani Road. 1 Mr. Childs described the proposed marquee sign. He said that a sign variance had been granted to the entire shopping center in 1999, which increased the allowable letter height and overall sign area to compensate for the wide setback from the street. He noted that the proposed sign was consistent with other signs within the shopping center, which the Commission had reviewed and supported earlier. Neither the applicant nor his representative was present. There was no one from the public wishing to testify in regard to this agenda item. It was moved by Commissioner Kitchens, and seconded by Commissioner Burns, to send to the Public Works Director a recommendation for approval of the sign permit application as submitted. A roll call vote was taken and the motion carried with five ayes (Kitchens, Burns, Akina, Bleck and Broderson) and three absent and excused (Andreae, Au Hoy and Stanbro). APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Minutes of the Meeting of November 19, 2013. It was moved by Commissioner Burns and seconded by Commissioner Akina that the minutes be approved as submitted. The motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners present. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS 1. Election of Chair and Vice Chair for 2014 Commissioner Bleck was nominated as Chairman by Commissioner Burns, which was seconded by Commissioner Broderson and supported by all Commissioners present. Commissioner Broderson was nominated as Vice Chairman by Chair Hetherington, which was seconded by Commissioner Burns and supported by all Commissioners present. Commissioners Bleck and Broderson each accepted their respective appointments. 2. Other Administrative Matters Mr. Childs suggested that in light of Ms. Baker’s earlier statement the Commission send a letter of appreciation to the KVBID, recognizing its initiative and willingness to collaborate with the Commission in improving the Kailua Village district. The Commissioners were in favor of the suggestion, and the Chair offered to draft the letter. Mr. Childs stated that the next scheduled meeting of February 4, 2014, was cancelled since there were no applications to be agendized. Commissioner Burns asked about the Commission member recruitment process and the specific categories in which new members were needed. Commissioner Bleck mentioned the name of a possible candidate for Mr. Mark to follow up on. Ms. Masunaga asked Mr. Mark to keep her informed so that she could assist him in expediting the nomination process. 2 The Chair gave a status report on an action that the Commission had taken at the last meeting of November 19, 2013, which was to request the Public Works Director to initiate a Sign Code amendment that would authorize the Public Works Director to grant administrative variances from certain requirements of the Sign Code. He said that the request letter had been sent to the Public Works Director soon after the meeting, but that he had not received any response to date. He also said that he had spoken with Councilman Dru Kanuha who expressed his willingness to support the bill, if someone could draft it, and to speak with the Public Works Director if/when necessary. The Chair opined that providing the Public Works Director with a draft bill would help the matter move forward, and that this bill, if passed, would have a positive effect on the businesses in the Kailua Village Special District. Mr. Mark, on behalf of the Planning Department staff, acknowledged the Commissioners’ effort and the differences that they made in the past year. He also thanked Chair Hetherington for his yearlong chairmanship. ANNOUNCEMENTS There were no announcements. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, at 5:50 p.m., it was moved by Commissioner Burns and seconded by Commissioner Bleck 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: John Hetherington, Chairman Kailua Village Design Commission 3