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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020 05-20 AAC APPROVED Min.pdf OPEN SESSION MEETING MINUTES Board/Commission Kauai Arborist Advisory Committee Meeting Date May 20, 2020 Location Teleconference Microsoft Teams Audio: +1 469-848-0234, Conference ID: 152 037 986# Start of Meeting: 2:00 p.m. End of Meeting: 2:50 p.m. Present Chair-elect Dan Kawika Smith.; Vice Chair-elect Dr. David Lorence; Members; Lawrence Borgatti, Sylvia Smith, and Deputy Planning Director Jodi Higuchi-Sayegusa. Also, present Board & Commissions Office Staff: Support Clerk Mercedes Omo; Administrator Ellen Ching; Office of the County Attorney: Deputy County Attorney Mahealani Krafft; Planning Department: Deputy Planning Director Jodi-Higuchi-Sayegusa and Planner Romio Idica. Joining the teleconference meeting were Seth Levin, Project Manager for Hawai‘i Unified/Contractor; Thomas Schnell, AICP Principal, Land Planning/Landscape Architecture, Jerry Nishek, Kaua‘i Nursery & Landscaping. Excused Absent SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Call to Order Chair Borgatti called the teleconference meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. Roll call to ascertain quorum A roll was taken to establish a quorum and acknowledge staff and guests. Once the quorum was confirmed, Ms. Ching briefed members on effective meeting guidelines. Public Testimony None. Business ACC 2020-1 Election of Chair and Vice Chair for Calendar Year 2020 Chair Borgatti called for nominations for the Chair’s position. Deputy Planning Director Sayegusa moved to nominate Dr. Lorence for the Chair’s position for the calendar year 2020. Dr. Lorence respectfully declined the nomination, citing personal reasons. Arborist Advisory Committee Open Session Minutes Of May 20, 2020 meeting Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION After the election of the new Chair, outgoing Chair Borgatti handed the gavel to Chair-elect Kawika Smith to continue the meeting. Chair-elect Smith then called for nominations for the Vice Chair position for calendar year 2020. Chair-elect Smith then called for a roll call vote. Ms. Smith moved to nominate Kawika Smith for the Chair position for the calendar year 2020. Mr. Smith accepted the nomination. Deputy Planning Director Sayegusa seconded the motion. Hearing no objections from the members, Chair Borgatti called for a roll call vote. A roll call ensued with all five (5) members present voting in favor of the motion to elect Mr. Smith as the new Chair for the calendar year 2020. Mr. Borgatti moved to nominate Dr. Lorence to the Vice Chair position, which Ms. Smith seconded. Hearing no objections from the members, Dr. Lorence accepted the nomination. A roll call ensued with all five (5) members present voting in favor of the motion to elect Dr. Lorence as the new Vice Chair for calendar year 2020. Arborist Advisory Committee Open Session Minutes Of May 20, 2020 meeting Page 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION AAC 2020-2 Discussion and possible recommendation to the Planning Commission on the permit application submitted by Applicant KHS, LLC, to the Planning Department for a permit no. Z-IV-2020-4, SMA (U) 2020-2, TMK 4-3-007:028 which proposes the removal of fifty-four (54) coconut trees, otherwise known as Niu Coconut-palm or Coco nucifera, which are part of the designated Exceptional K-12 Coconut Grove. The grove extends both makai and mauka of Highway 56 (Kūhiō Highway) at Waipouli: TMK 4-3-6-2, 4-3-7-27, 28 and 29. Vice Chair-elect Dr. Lorence noted that the correct spelling for the coconut palm trees is Cocos nucifera, not Coco nucifera as reflected in the agenda. Deputy Planning Director Higuchi-Sayegusa called on Planner Romio Idica to read the gist of the Director’s Report on the application that was submitted by Applicant KHS, LLC, to the Planning Department. Mr. Idica stated that on October 22, 2019, the Planning Commission approved Class IV-2020-4 and SMA (U)-2020-2 for the installation of a photovoltaic (PV) system (solar PV canopies over the parking lot, electrical system, and battery storage) and to reconstruct a luau facility and for the removal of twenty-five (25) coconut palm trees within the parking lot area fronting Aleka Loop where the PV structures would be placed. However, due to the contractor’s due diligence, it was discovered that the number of coconut trees originally slated for removal doubled to fifty-three (53) coconut trees. Under the amended proposal, the Planning Department is seeking the Committee’s advice on removing and relocating the additional coconut trees in Coconut Grove designated as “exceptional trees”. Arborist Advisory Committee Open Session Minutes Of May 20, 2020 meeting Page 4 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Mr. Borgatti asked for clarification if the amended proposal was to remove fifty- three (53) or fifty-four (54) coconut trees to which Mr. Idica clarified that the request was for the removal and relocation of fifty-three (53) coconut trees. Chair-elect Smith inquired if the Planning Department had approved the initial request to remove the twenty-five (25) coconut trees before the meeting. Mr. Idica replied affirmatively. Deputy Planning Director Higuchi-Sayegusa clarified that the Planning Department’s decision to approve the removal and relocation of coconut trees was granted because, at the time, the Department did not feel it would be significant; however, given the magnitude of the amended proposal, a decision was made to seek guidance from the Arborist Advisory Committee on the Applicant’s request to relocate another twenty-six (26) coconut trees, in addition to the twenty-five trees that were originally proposed. Chair-elect Smith asked the members if they had any more questions for Mr. Idica. Hearing none, he called upon the Applicant’s representatives to address the Committee. Tom Schnell, PBR Hawai‘i – Landscape Architecture & Planning, Principal& Planner stated his name for the record, then informed the members that Project Manager Seth Levin would be assisting him with his PowerPoint presentation. Copies of Mr. Schnell’s PowerPoint Presentation was distributed to the members prior to the meeting that reflected data on the project’s location, tax map key, general plan & zoning information, visitor designation areas within the VDA, special management area within the SMA, information on exterior and interior renovations to the resort rebranded as the Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach Resort, proposed location for the three (3) new photovoltaic (PV) system over the existing parking lot, Arborist Advisory Committee Open Session Minutes Of May 20, 2020 meeting Page 5 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION a revised photovoltaic layout, existing property conditions, overhead view of the proposed photovoltaic (PV) canopy structures, a map reflecting the twenty-seven (27) coconut palms to slated be demolished and removed, the location of coconut palm trees that will remain in place and be protected during construction and the twenty-six (26) coconut palm trees slated to be relocated and protected, a revised plan reflecting the Planning Director’s recommendation to plant additional foliage in certain locations within the said property, and lastly a slide reflecting three different PV structure elevations. Chair-elect Smith thanked Mr. Schnell for his presentation and then inquired if the members had any questions regarding the PowerPoint presentation. Deputy Planning Director Higuchi-Sayegusa asked if an assessment was done to see the condition of trees that were marked for removal. General Manager Jerry Nishek of Kaua‘i Nursery & Landscaping responded that an assessment was conducted on the taller and more mature trees, revealing significant damage to their trunks. Additionally, there were underground utilities located beneath some of these trees, and as far as he knew, there was no permit to remove them. Removing those trees could potentially cause damage to the underground utilities. The trees that were selected for removal and relocation were younger and much healthier, making them more likely to survive the process. Deputy Planning Director Sayegusa stated that, based on the revised plans, instead of planting a cluster of Arica palms, a decision was made to disperse the palms along the Aleka Loop area. Mr. Schnell noted that the intent is to place the Arica Palms in a more natural growth setting, but this will require reconfiguration on their part. Additionally, they would need to locate the underground utilities and adjust Arborist Advisory Committee Open Session Minutes Of May 20, 2020 meeting Page 6 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION accordingly to avoid any impact on the water lines, electrical lines, and communication cables located within the area. Mr. Borgatti asked Ms. Higuchi-Sayegusa to clarify if she meant to say Coconut Palms or Arica Palms to which Ms. Sayegusa replied that she was just commenting on the Applicant’s revised plans to replace the Coconut Palms with Arica Palms. Mr. Schnell clarified that the proposal was to replace the Coconut Palms with Arica Palms. Chair-elect Smith asked if the additional twenty-six (26) Coconut Trees reflected in the PowerPoint Presentation were slated for removal and relocation within the property. Mr. Schnell replied yes and noted that the trees that were not highlighted are going to remain in place. Mr. Borgatti asked if the overflow parking on the north side of the property where the old Luau facility used to be would remain a grassy area. Mr. Schnell replied yes. Dr. Lorence asked if it would be possible to plant additional younger Cocos nucifera within the area to offset the net loss of the twenty-seven (27) trees. Mr. Schnell replied no and explained that planting additional trees would block access to the old dirt road that’s highly used by everyone. Ms. Smith asked if it would be possible to plant younger trees at the base of mature trees in the event those trees have to come down, at least there would be another tree to replace it. Arborist Advisory Committee Open Session Minutes Of May 20, 2020 meeting Page 7 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Mr. Nishek stated that it is possible to plant younger trees next to the base of the existing trees to help keep the grove-like appearance as viewed from the nearby highway. With no further questions from the members, Chair Smith called for a motion to being discussion. Mr. Borgatti moved to approve the trees slated for removal and the trees slated for relocation on the condition that the Applicant plant twenty-seven (27) younger trees (to maintain a grove-like appearance) fifteen (15) gallons or larger to replace the trees that have to be removed and cannot be transplanted. Dr. Lorence seconded the motion. Chair Smith called for discussion. Ms. Higuchi-Sayegusa asked Mr. Borgatti if planting twenty-seven (27) trees was in addition to the twenty-six (26) trees that have to be removed and relocated. Mr. Borgatti stated that the requirement was to replace the twenty -seven (27) trees with younger trees, meaning that no trees would be removed from the property. Additionally, the new trees should be planted to maintain a grove -like appearance. Ms. Higuchi-Sayegusa stated that to clean up the motion it should say remove and relocate twenty-six (6) Cocos Nucifera on the condition that the Applicant plant twenty-seven (27) younger trees in a grove-like appearance fifteen gallons or larger to replace the trees that cannot be transplanted and plant young trees at the base of the mature trees that are going to remain in place. Motion: Mr. Borgatti proposed to remove and relocate the twenty-six Coco Nucifera trees. The condition is that the Applicant must plant twenty- seven (27) younger trees, each fifteen gallons or larger, to maintain a grove-like appearance. These younger trees will replace the ones that cannot be transplanted. Additionally, the Applicant must plant younger trees at the base of the mature trees that are going to remain in place. Dr. Lorence seconded the motion. Arborist Advisory Committee Open Session Minutes Of May 20, 2020 meeting Page 8 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Mr. Borgatti noted that the Applicant could utilize some of the twenty-seven (27) new trees and plant them at the base of the mature trees. Both Dr. Lorence and Ms. Smith agreed. With no further discussion, Chair Smith called for a roll call vote. A roll call vote ensued with all five (5) members voting in favor of the motion. Adjournment With no further business, Chair-elect Kawika Smith called for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Deputy Planning Director Higuchi- Sayegusa moved to adjourn the meeting. Vice Chair-elect Dr. Lorence seconded. A roll call ensued with all five (5) members voting in favor of the motion. At 2:50 p.m. the meeting adjourned. Submitted by: __________________________________ Reviewed and Approved by: _________________________________________ Mercedes Omo, Staff Support Clerk Lawrence Borgatti, Chair-elect (x) Approved as circulated on May 28, 2024. ( ) Approved as amended. See minutes of ___________ meeting.