Special rules for building in Līhu'e Civic Center area

The following exceptions, modifications and additions to the provisions of Chapter 8 and Chapter 10 of the Kaua'i County Code shall apply to development within Special Planning Area "G", also known as the "Līhu'e Civic Center and Community Facilities Neighborhood Design District." This Section shall supersede any conflicting provisions in Chapter 8 and Chapter 10 of the Kaua'i County Code enacted before the enactment of the ordinance codified in this Article.Generally Permitted Uses and Structures in SPA-G.Accessory uses and structures;Churches and temples;Gymnasiums and recreational facilities;Museums, libraries and public services;Parking garages and structures;Public offices and buildings;Public parks and monuments;Restaurants and food services under one thousand (1,000) square feet of net area;Retail sales under one thousand (1,000) square feet of net area;Schools and daycare centers.Uses and structures that require a use permit in SPA-G:Clubs, lodges and community centers (private);Communication facilities;Convenience stores and neighborhood grocery stores under ten thousand (10,000) square feet;Outdoor private amusement and recreational facilities;Public and private utilities and facilities.Any other use or structure which the Planning Director finds to be similar in nature to those listed in this Section and appropriate to the district.Setback Requirements.Front Yards. The minimum side yard setback is ten (10) feet for one (1) story buildings and fifteen (15) feet for two (2) story buildings, or half (0.5) the height of the tallest exterior wall plate.Side Yards. The minimum side yard setback is ten (10) feet for one (1) story buildings and fifteen (15) feet for two (2) story buildings or half (0.5) the height of the tallest exterior wall plate.Rear Yards. The minimum rear yard setback is ten (10) feet.Encroachment. Building projections (such as eaves) may encroach into the required front, rear and side yard setback up to a maximum depth of four (4) feet. Projections that encroach into the required setbacks shall not be a large or integral part of the overall building mass.Views. Structures should be oriented to minimize intrusion into views of Wai'ale'ale, Hā'upu, and Kālepa.Enhance the Streetscape to Encourage Pedestrian Activity and Biking.Site planning and building design shall facilitate pedestrian and bicycle access and circulation throughout the property. An interconnected network of pedestrian pathways should connect with the sidewalks surrounding the Civic Center and community facilities neighborhood and provide pedestrian access to all buildings within the neighborhood.ADA-accessible sidewalks should be provided throughout the area.Trees should be planted along streets, and be consistent with the street tree planting theme in Sections 4.2.6 and 4.6.5 of the Līhu'e Town Core Urban Design Plan of 2009.Improved crosswalks should be provided where recommended in the Līhu'e Town Core Urban Design Plan of 2009, or other County and State transportation plans.The design of the pedestrian circulation system should strive to create a sequence of events and an interconnection of "places," rather than be simply a means to get from one building to another.Pedestrian pathways should be designed to visually communicate their role within the pedestrian network. For example, primary paths should be distinguished from secondary paths.Adequate widths should be provided to handle the expected type and volume of traffic.Pedestrian pathways and open spaces should have amenities such as landscaping, street furniture, benches, bicycle racks, trash receptacles, water fountains, information signage/kiosks, lighting, public art, and civic monuments. Section 4.2.3 of the Līhu'e Town Core Urban Design Plan of 2009 provides more detailed guidelines on suitable amenities for pedestrians.The alignment of pedestrian pathways should capitalize on visual amenities along the route, including views of civic buildings, open spaces, and other significant view elements.Pedestrian security shall be considered in the design of the pedestrian network, through the use of security lighting, and by considering visual control and potential hiding places.Pedestrian pathways should be constructed using durable, non-slip materials. Contrasting and patterned paving materials, including signature designs or motifs, are encouraged.Buildings and open spaces should provide seating opportunities through the use of ledges, steps, corners, and walls, as well as moveable chairs and benches.Plazas, Courtyards and Open Space.Plazas, courtyards and open spaces should create a hierarchy of open spaces and be connected by the pedestrian circulation network. The potential volume of pedestrian activity, including the use of the space as a venue for community events, should also be considered.Plazas, courtyards, and open spaces should provide seating amenities for both employees and visitors of the Civic Center.The design of open spaces should consider the microclimate, including wind intensity, sun angles, precipitation and landscaping.The design of plazas, courtyards, and open spaces should complement the design of adjacent buildings.Public spaces shall meet ADA-accessibility standards.Views of prominent topographical, cultural and landscape features should be considered in the design of open spaces.Plazas, courtyards, and open spaces should be buffered from roads, service areas and parking lots to minimize visual impact, noise and air pollution.Architectural Context and Compatibility. The following guidelines shall be considered as tools to help achieve the design goals of the neighborhood:New buildings should be compatible with the existing historic buildings and landmarks within the neighborhood. New architectural styles may be appropriate if scaled and sited to respect the historic buildings, view planes and significant landscaping.The adaptive re-use of historic buildings is encouraged as an effective sustainable building practice.Building Density and Mass. The following guidelines shall be considered as tools to help achieve the design goals of the neighborhood:No new building should significantly change the overall scale of buildings in the Civic Center, particularly the historic buildings.Civic buildings may be designed to be of a grander scale. However, human-scale elements, such as windows, doors and ornamentation, should be used to break up large surfaces.Large buildings (with façades greater than sixty-four [64] feet in width) should be broken down by means of the articulation of separate volumes. These should be well-proportioned and related to create a satisfactory composition.Building Height.Building heights for new structures shall not be more than two (2) stories in height or exceed thirty (30) feet from finished grade to the highest point on the roof. The Director may waive the building height requirement to allow additional height for sloping roofs.The height and front façade of historic buildings should be preserved.The height and the scale of new buildings should be compatible with adjacent buildings.Street-Level Activity, Building Façades and Fenestration.Blank façades along public streets are not permitted.The design of façades should be compatible with the historic character of the neighborhood. Façade elements common to the neighborhood include recessed window openings, recessed entries, exposed columns, arcades, balconies, and decorative building elements reinforced by repetition of fenestration and strong horizontal lines expressed by a combination of fenestrations, openings, wall edges and decorations. New development shall be contextual to these elements, incorporating and employing these elements to visually relate new buildings to adjacent façades of historic buildings.Recessed entries, arcades, balconies and windows also serve to define and give importance to major entrances, offer protection from the weather and visually welcome people to the public buildings. Building entries should be clearly defined, welcoming and connect to ADA-accessible sidewalks.Buildings located at street corners should be designed to address the corner, to engage the interest of drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists at the intersection.Use ornamentation, such as building trim, on windows and door openings to enhance a building's design statement with details that add interest to the building. Ornamentation can also help to develop a human scale for the buildings.Roofs.Roofs on historic buildings should be preserved or restored.New buildings may utilize a wide range of roof shapes, materials, and colors given the existing range of traditional and historic architectural character of the area.Roof colors shall be earth tones. Reflective and shiny surfaces are not permitted, except for renewable energy equipment such as solar panels. The Director may grant an exemption from this requirement for energy-saving and heat mitigation measures if there is no significant adverse impact on nearby properties.The use of more than one (1) type of roof material is not permitted. The Director may grant an exemption from this requirement for energy-saving and heat mitigation measures if there is no significant adverse impact on nearby properties.Roof-mounted equipment shall be screened from view in all directions to a distance of one thousand (1,000) feet. Screens shall be consistent with the building architectural design and finishes.Building Materials and Color.For historic buildings, original building materials shall not be covered up with finish materials that will significantly alter the building's appearance or character.Building materials shall be in keeping with the historic buildings in the district. A consistent type of finish material shall be used on all walls of a building. Wall finishes shall consist of concrete, stone, or plaster as deemed appropriate contextually. Reflective or opaque glass and glass films are not desirable, since they reduce visual interest and are not in keeping with the character of the Civic Center.Building colors should be selected to harmonize with existing historic building. Colors and surfaces which predominate include white walls, warm earth tones, natural stone and cast concrete. The use of shiny metal or reflective surfaces, including reflective paints and slick, plastic-like surfaces should be avoided.If the use of metal surfaces is required, they should be used minimally with dark, matte finishes. Copper and brass are permitted surfaces for accents, such as gutters and trim. Any glass surfaces should be recessed and clear, or of light tints.Off-Street Parking.General Parking Requirements.Retail Sales and Services, Eating and Drinking Establishments (Including: Restaurants and Coffee Shops). One (1) parking space for each two hundred (200) square feet of net floor space.Offices and Office Buildings. One (1) parking space for every two hundred (200) square feet of net office space and waiting rooms of other spaces used by the public for the transaction of business or services.Churches, Sport Arenas, Auditoriums, Theaters, Assembly Halls. One (1) parking space for each eight (8) seats in principal assembly area.Parking Bonus.The Director may allow a reduction in the parking requirement for commercial uses to one (1) space for every five hundred fifty (550) square feet for properties that comply with all of the requirements and guidelines established in this Article.If bicycle parking or storage is provided for any use, the total number of required vehicle parking spaces shall be reduced by one (1) parking space for every five (5) bicycle parking spaces or storage units provided.The Director may allow a reduction in the parking requirement for commercial uses and multifamily dwellings if a bus or transit stop with a pullout area is provided and built to County Transportation Agency standards (subject to County Transportation Agency approval). The parking requirement shall be one (1) space per five hundred fifty (550) square feet of net floor area or net office area for commercial uses and one (1) space per unit for multiple-family dwellings.Design of Off-Street Parking Facilities.Off-street parking areas shall be located in the rear of properties and screened from view.Parking lots with five (5) or more spaces should be landscaped with a minimum five (5) foot wide landscape strip adjacent to any adjoining public right-of-way. The landscape strip should be planted with a continuous screening hedge of at least forty-two (42) inches high.Parking lots with more than ten (10) parking spaces require one (1) canopy tree for every ten (10) spaces. Installed trees should be a minimum twenty-five (25) gallon size. The tree well or planting area for the tree should be no less than nine (9) square feet in area or a minimum three (3) feet wide in any direction and should be adequately sized for larger canopy trees. For example, monkey pod trees should have a planting strip of at least eight (8) feet. Trees should be sited to evenly distribute shade throughout the parking lot.Parking structures should not dominate the street frontage. They should be located below grade or in the interior of the lot and be screened from view by: (1) wrapping the structure with inhabitable spaces or a façade that hides the parking; (2) planting of canopy and tall vertical-form trees; or (3) planters with climbing, or cascading vines or flowering shrubs along parking level railings to soften the appearance of a parking structure. Trellises and planting material should be used to help mitigate the visual impact of rooftop parking.Underground parking with street-level landscaping would be an appropriate way to hide parking and mitigating the visual impact of a parking structure and open up more space for public use.Entrances to parking areas on a parcel shall be located where they do not interrupt the street tree pattern and where the width and number of curb cuts are minimized.Vehicular entrances to parking structures should not dominate the street frontage.Signage.Outdoor signs shall comply with the County's Outdoor Sign Ordinance (KCC Sec. 15-4).The use of a consistent signage style and graphics for all public facilities is encouraged to give this district a coordinated appearance. Signage style should also distinguish it from other non-governmental uses in the district. Special plaques and signage for historic buildings and landmarks should also be unique, consistent and easily recognizable.In developing a consistent signage style and graphics, the design of signs shall consider: (A) historical precedents and elements specific to Līhu'e; (B) appropriate scale of signage for the neighborhood; (C) appropriate locations for signage; (D) compatible signage material; and (E) visibility of the sign from the street.Signs shall be graphically simply and present an appropriate level of detail.Flashing, rotating, inflatable, neon and roof-mounted signs are not permitted. Sign colors should be compatible with building colors and a Līhu'e signature motif or color scheme. Sign lighting shall be indirect, down-lit and fully-shielded. Interior-lit fluorescent signs are not permitted.Walls and Fences.Walls and fences fronting a public right-of-way shall have a maximum height of three (3) feet. Fence post caps, finials and pillars may be up to six (6) inches taller.The design of walls and fences shall be coordinated for the neighborhood. Chain link fences and unfinished concrete masonry walls are not permitted along lot frontage, adjacent to public streets or open spaces, or where it is readily visible to the public.Outdoor Lighting.All lighting fixtures shall be fully-shielded and directed downward. They should create a uniform illumination level for security without harsh light or creating glare.All lighting not needed for safety purposes shall be on a timer with motion sensors and automatic shut-off controls.In parking areas, light fixtures should be scaled to the pedestrian as well as the automobile.In public gathering areas, appropriate lower level lighting shall be placed near seating areas, crosswalks, driveways, water features, landscaped amenities, pedestrian pathways.Floodlighting buildings is prohibited.Utilities and Screening Utility Equipment.All utilities, including power lines, cable and telephone lines should be placed in conduits underground. Existing overhead lines should be relocated underground.Utility equipment shall be located, sized and designed to be as inconspicuous as possible, but also in conformance with applicable electric and utility standards, rules, and codes.Electrical transformers should be screened with either plant material or a wall to help conceal them from public view.Screening Loading Areas.Loading and unloading areas and outdoor storage and service areas shall be screened from view through the use of building mass, garden walls or fences, and/or landscaping. Screening materials should match adjacent buildings.Dumpsters shall be screened on at least three (3) sides by an opaque fence or wall of sufficient height to block views of the containers. Plant material and/or earth berms should be used for general screening of the trash collection areas from views of main roads, sidewalks and building entrances.Avoid locating service and loading areas adjacent to Rice, Hardy and 'Umi Streets. If no other location is possible, screen the view of the loading area with a fence or wall fronted with landscaping.