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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-08-16 KVDC Minutes KAILUA VILLAGE DESIGN COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I MINUTES Meeting Date: August 16, 2016 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: Shaun Roth, Alvin Akina, Jr., Fanny Au Hoy, Ann Kern, Zon Sullenberger and Mark Van Pernis Absent and Excused: Theresa Andreae and Peter Dahlberg Planning Department: Bennett Mark (Planning Program Manager), Terry Dunlap (Planner) and Noriko Sauer (Commission Secretary) Applicant/Representative: Brooke Bohnhoff (Rising Sun Solar, LLC), Michael Riehm (Riehm Owensby Planners Architects LLC), Sean Asmus (Reddy Development) and Jim Perry (Reddy Development) Public: None A quorum was present. In the absence of Chair Dahlberg, Vice Chair Roth called the meeting to order. The Commissioners introduced themselves. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Minutes of the Meeting of August 2, 2016 It was moved by Commissioner Kern and seconded by Commissioner Au Hoy that the minutes be approved as submitted. The motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS There was no one from the public in attendance. NEW BUSINESS 1. Rising Sun Solar LLC is requesting to construct forty seven (47) roof mounted PV panels on a previously approved structure (Walua Mixed Use) and to construct a carport structure with one hundred seventy five (175) roof mounted PV panels. Applicant: Rising Sun Solar, LLC. Landowner: Ohia Lani, LLC. TMK: 7-5-018: 097. Location: 75-5915 Walua Road, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740. 1 Mr. Dunlap displayed site photographs to familiarize the Commissioners with the subject property and building under construction, and described the proposed project. He noted that the proposed carport structure as depicted on the plan, presented a problem where there was insufficient space for the car parked in the end stall to be able to reverse because of the irregular shape of the parcel at the western corner; however, that would be addressed by the Planning Department during the Plan Approval process, and so the Commission should focus on the design aspect of the project. Commissioner Van Pernis questioned about the drawings included in the application, which showed fewer photovoltaic (“PV”) panels on the roof of the existing building than 47 as described in the applicant’s request letter, and said that the Commission could not approve more panels than actually presented. The applicant’s representative, Brooke Bohnhoff, responded that they had originally applied to Hawai‘i Electric Light Company for 47 plus 175 PV panels, but that the owner had since reduced the number; she apologized for the oversight. She passed around a sample PV panel, and said that it had anti-reflective coating to minimize the glare. She added that the PV panels would be visible from Kuakini Highway but not from Walua Road. With respect to the reason for the project, she stated that the owner was trying to offset the high electricity usage anticipated by potential ice cream business. In response to Commissioner Van Pernis’ inquiry, Ms. Bohnhoff confirmed that the exact number of PV panels would be 30 for the existing building and 175 for the proposed carport structure. It was moved by Commissioner Van Pernis and seconded by Commissioner Au Hoy that the Commission recommend the Planning Director’s approval of the proposed project with a reduction in the number of PV panels for the existing building from 47 to 30, as confirmed by the applicant’s representative. There were no discussions on the motion. A roll call vote was taken and the motion carried with five ayes (Van Pernis, Au Hoy, Akina, Kern and Sullenberger) and two absent and excused (Andreae and Dahlberg). 2. Proposed revisions to Building “B” at Henry Street Landing as approved by KVDC on December 4, 2014. General revisions include: minor re-siting of building and changes to building and roof elevations. Applicant: Riehm Owensby Planners Architects, LLC. Landowner: Relo Kona LLC. TMK: 7-5-004: 031. Location: South side of Henry Street between Jack-in-the-Box and Starbucks. Mr. Dunlap displayed site photographs to familiarize the Commissioners with the subject property. Full-size drawings were also displayed on the wall, which compared the proposed revisions with the previously approved plans side by side. Mr. Dunlap then deferred to the applicant for the presentation. Mr. Michael Riehm, the representative and architect for the project, gave a presentation focusing on the following major revisions: 1) Replace the landscaping and lava rock-faced concrete retaining wall at the rear of the building, with a concrete embankment and a four-foot high black metal fence; 2) raise the building pad five feet, thereby reduce the remainder of the lava rock-faced retaining wall by half and make the building level with the pedestrian access from Henry Street; 3) add a rock wall along Henry Street; 4) relocate the air-conditioning units from the rooftop to the sides of the building, thereby eliminate the flat rooftop cutout; 5) add another window on the Henry Street elevation; and, 6) eliminate the stucco base from the storefront and instead extend the glass to the finish floor. He 2 stated that the replacement of the retaining wall with the concrete embankment was mostly from the standpoint of engineering and construction. Commissioner Van Pernis opined that the metal fence was unsightly and would not fit in the Kailua Village. He expressed his preference for rock wall, and added that while he understood that it was a cost-saving measure, the Commission’s purpose was to preserve the Kailua Village. Mr. Riehm said that in his opinion the proposed fence design had a traditional appearance. Commissioner Van Pernis asked about the rear landscaping being eliminated along with the lava rock-faced wall. Mr. Riehm responded that the revised plan provided no room for planting. Commissioner Van Pernis said that the view from Jack in the Box would be industrial, especially without any greeneries. Vice Chair Roth noted that the Commission had approved a similar fence for a portion of the Hulihe‘e Palace property, and that there was a metal fence on the Moku‘aikaua Church grounds as well. He further said that he found the acceptability of a metal fence to be a matter of opinion rather than precedent, and that in his opinion the previously approved lava rock-faced wall was too massive. Commissioner Van Pernis said that metal fences were not consistently seen in the Kailua Village, and that this might set a precedent for more of them, which would be fine in other towns but not in the Kailua Village. Mr. Riehm stated that the owner was open to suggestions and willing to install a four-foot high rock wall in place of the metal fence. In response to Commissioner Sullenberger’s question, Mr. Riehm stated that the finish on the embankment would be concrete, and that it would not be visible from any directions. Vice Chair Roth and Commissioner Sullenberger gave positive comments on the revised sloping roof with no flat cutout. Commissioner Van Pernis also commented that he would like to hear a motion to approve the applicant’s proposal except for the metal fence. It was moved by Commissioner Sullenberger and seconded by Commissioner Van Pernis that the Commission recommend the Planning Director’s approval of the proposed revisions, with the stipulation that the proposed metal fence along the rear wall shall be replaced with a four-foot high rock wall. There were no discussions on the motion. A roll call vote was taken and the motion carried with five ayes (Sullenberger, Van Pernis, Akina, Au Hoy and Kern) and two absent and excused (Andreae and Dahlberg). ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS None. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mr. Mark announced that the Commission now had one actual vacancy and three expired terms for which the respective Commissioners were holding over, as well as three more terms to expire at the year end. He asked the Commissioners to inform him of their contacts who might be interested in serving on the Commission in any of the four membership categories. Mr. Mark also announced that the next meeting was scheduled for September 6, 2016, with tentatively one item on the agenda. Mr. Dunlap added that the application was for renovations of the Honda dealership building on Kuakini Highway. 3 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, at 6:06 p.m., it was moved by Commissioner Au Hoy and seconded by Commissioner Sullenberger that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote. Respectfully submitted, Noriko Sauer, Secretary A T T E S T: Shaun Roth, Vice Chairman Kailua Village Design Commission 4