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Home My WebLink About2015-02-03 Kailua Village Design Commission Minutes KAILUA VILLAGE DESIGN COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I MINUTES Meeting Date: February 3, 2015 Time: 5:17 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: Paul Bleck, Alvin Akina, Jr., Theresa Andreae, Fanny Au Hoy, Peter Dahlberg, Ann Kern, Shaun Roth and Zon Sullenberger Absent and Excused: Adam Broderson Planning Department: Keola Childs and Noriko Sauer Applicant/Representative: None Public: None A quorum was present. Chair Bleck called the meeting to order and the Commissioners introduced themselves. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Minutes of the Meeting of November 18, 2014. It was moved by Commissioner Sullenberger and seconded by Commissioner Au Hoy that the minutes be approved as circulated. The motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners present. 2. Minutes of the Meeting of December 2, 2014. It was moved by Commissioner Andreae and seconded by Commissioner Sullenberger that the minutes be approved as circulated. The motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners present. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS – None NEW BUSINESS 1. Design review of a sign permit application for a ground-mounted directory sign for “Kona Marketplace.” Applicant: Neill Sign and Design. Landowner: Kona MP, LLC. TMK: 7-5-007:005. Located at 75-5729 Ali‘i Drive. 1 Mr. Childs distributed Google Earth street view photographs to familiarize the Commissioners with the subject area; he noted that Agenda Items 1 and 2 were for the same marketplace on two contiguous parcels. He described the proposed directory sign, and said that it appeared to be in compliance with the Sign Code and the Kailua Village special design district guidelines in all aspects, including the size, coloration and materials. Mr. Childs informed the Commissioners that the applicant’s representative, Jeremy Neill, was unable to attend the meeting in person; however, he was available by phone, if there were any questions from the Commissioners regarding his two applications. Commissioner Andreae noted that the tenant names on the proposed sign should be easily changeable so as not to lose the uniformed appearance with tenant turnover. She also commented that there were numerous sandwich boards, banners, and other types of seemingly illegal signs within the subject property, making the marketplace look much cluttered. The Commissioners agreed that those illegal and/or unpermitted signs, along with any existing directory signs, should be removed once the new directory sign is installed. In response to Commissioner Au Hoy’s question as to whether the proposed sign was to replace a blue-colored post shown right behind it in the applicant’s Photoshop image, Mr. Childs said that although it was not clear from the available photographs, the post might be there for a purpose, such as structural or lighting. It was moved by Commissioner Andreae and seconded by Commissioner Kern that the Commission recommend to the Public Works Director the approval of the proposed sign permit application as submitted, subject to the applicant’s and/or the landowner’s fulfillment of the following conditions: 1.Removal of all unpermitted signs, including but not limited to, temporary signs such as banners, sandwich board signs, product advertising and any existing “Kona Marketplace” directory sign in the vicinity of the proposed directory sign; and 2.The lettering for all business names listed on the directory sign be maintained in a consistent design, color and texture for all names, particularly as to letter font and paint or other applique’ material texture and finish. Discussion on the motion included the Commissioners’ consensus that the existing blue-colored post in the immediate vicinity of the proposed sign should be removed, if it was not necessary as structural or lighting support. A roll call vote was taken and the motion carried with seven ayes (Andreae, Kern, Akina, Au Hoy, Dahlberg, Roth and Sullenberger) and one absent and excused (Broderson). 2. Design review of a sign permit application for a ground-mounted directory sign for “Kona Marketplace.” Applicant: Neill Sign and Design. Landowner: Kona MP, LLC. TMK: 7-5-007:023. Located at 75-5725 Ali‘i Drive. Mr. Childs presented the proposed directory sign, saying that the design was exactly the same as Agenda Item No. 1. He drew the Commissioners’ attention to the proposed sign location relative to the first one, and said that this second location, being inside the arcade, might deter placement of sandwich board signs by tenants around the base of the new sign. There were no questions from the Commissioners regarding this application. 2 It was moved by Commissioner Roth and seconded by Commissioner Sullenberger that the Commission recommend to the Public Works Director the approval of the proposed sign permit application as submitted, subject to the same conditions as the previous agenda item, namely: 1.Removal of all unpermitted signs, including but not limited to, temporary signs such as banners, sandwich board signs, product advertising and any existing “Kona Marketplace” directory sign in the vicinity of the proposed directory sign; and 2.The lettering for all business names listed on the directory sign be maintained in a consistent design, color and texture for all names, particularly as to letter font and paint or other applique’ material texture and finish. There was no discussion on the motion. A roll call vote was taken and the motion carried with seven ayes (Roth, Sullenberger, Akina, Andreae, Au Hoy, Dahlberg and Kern) and one absent and excused (Broderson). ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS 1.Election of Chair and Vice Chair for 2015. Commissioner Au Hoy moved that Chair Bleck be re-elected. With a second by Commissioner Sullenberger and an affirmative voice vote of all Commissioners in attendance, Chair Bleck accepted another year of the chairmanship. Commissioner Au Hoy then nominated Commissioner Dahlberg as vice chairman. The nomination was seconded by Commissioner Sullenberger and unanimously supported by a voice vote of all Commissioners in attendance. Commissioner Dahlberg accepted the vice-chairmanship for 2015. ANNOUNCEMENTS The Chair and the Commissioners welcomed two new members, Commissioners Kern and Roth. Mr. Childs spoke of the current situation relating to one of the applications that the Commission had reviewed in the past; at its September 16, 2014, meeting, the Commission reviewed a sign variance application by Brown Shoe Company, dba Famous Footwear. He informed the Commissioners that the business was using its large windows to strategically show product advertisements displayed inside, and, with the interior lighting, creating the effect of illuminated signs. He said that this method of window display was not a part of the sign variance application that the Commission had reviewed, and that he did not have the authority to interpret the sign code as to whether the definition of “sign” covers this type of displays; however, he said that the Commissioners could still make their concerns known by sending a letter to the Public Works Director, if they so wished. Commissioner Au Hoy opined that the Commission should take action now to put a stop to a potential proliferation of similar displays in the Kailua Village. The Chair requested Mr. Childs to place on the next available agenda a discussion item regarding clarification of the sign code definition of “sign,” particularly as to whether the window-oriented display of product names, such as the case of Famous Footwear, is covered by the definition; the discussion is to include also a question of whether the Department of Public Works will enforce the code with or without a formal complaint filed by the Commission. 3 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, at 6:15 p.m., it was moved by Commissioner Sullenberger and seconded by Commissioner Au Hoy 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: Paul Bleck, Chairman Kailua Village Design Commission 4