Crowd at Laie hotel SMA hearing

After City DPP staff made a brief presentation, planning consultants for HRI, Group70 International, discussed the project. Their remarks covered the history of the site and current zoning, presentations to the community in the last few years, hotel characteristics and amentities -- architectural design, size, swimming pool, banquet facility, landscaping and bike path, crosswalk to beach, etc -- and benefits to the community. Economic benefits include new employment opportunities for the Ko'olauloa region during construction (appx. 150 jobs), operation (appx. 125 jobs), and a "multiplier" benefit to community businesses.

Rendering of front entrance and lobby (beach at right)

The Group70 presentation concluded by explaining the criteria of an SMA permit and noting no adverse effects from the hotel project on natural and historical/cultural resources, coastal views from public viewpoints along the highway, and coastal water quality.

Afterwards, public testimony was accepted by DPP. Thirty people testified, with more than 80 percent in support. Common reasons mentioned by testifiers for supporting the project included greater job opportunities, the need for another lodging option on this side of the island for visiting family and friends, and benefits to the Polynesian Cultural Center and BYU-Hawaii's hospitality and tourism program.

A few testifiers asked several questions about the project. Here are some questions and answers regarding the hotel:

Question: How many of the Marriott hotel jobs will go to support the university's hospitality program, and how many will be available for the community?

Answer: Of the total jobs -- anticipated to be approximately 125 -- about 50 will be open to all community applicants, with half being full-time positions. These jobs will include managerial, supervisory, and specialist positions. The remaining 75 part-time positions will be used for training those enrolled in BYUH's hospitality program.

Question: How will the hotel project affect drainage in the community?

Answer: The project will not increase drainage flows off the hotel property and plans will meet all City permitting requirements for drainage.

Question: What about drainage solutions for the community?

Answer: Long-term drainage solutions for the community depend on increasing capacity for the outfalls of the Wailele Stream and the Foodland area bridge. Hawaii Reserves Inc., and the Laie Community Association are working with government to find appropriate drainage solutions. A drainage study of Wailele Stream is currently being conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers and is expected to be finished in the near future. As announced last August in an Envision Laie newsletter, work will commence within the next year on replacing the Foodland area bridge and doubling its outfall capacity.

Aerial view of hotel site (Naniloa Loop at right)

Question: How tall will the hotel be?

Answer: The hotel will be staggered at one, three, and four stories in height to provide a smaller site footprint while still staying within the City code's 40 foot under-roof height limit. The varying floor heights will add to the hotel's ambiance and the multiple roof system will strengthen the village-like character of the project.

Question: Will the McDonald's and Chevron station, currently on the hotel property, be relocated somewhere in the community?

Answer: Yes. The McDonald's restaurant will be relocated further north on the hotel property fronting the highway, and HRI is in discussions with Chevron about relocating the station to another site within the community.

Question: Will the hotel match the character of our community?

Answer: Absolutely. The hotel design has a Pacific Island theme, including "contemporary Hawaiian" architectural elements. The new hotel has been designed to complement the neighboring Polynesian Cultural Center and our community. Lush, island landscaping will be used throughout the site and the parking lot will be placed behind the hotel to further enhance the landscape appeal and view along Kamehameha Highway.

Question: How did the City publish notice of the hotel SMA hearing?

Answer: According to DPP staff, notice was published in the Star-Adverstiser on January 27th. In addition, the Notice of Application and Public Hearing was sent with a location map to property owners within a 300-foot radius of the site, to the Ko'olauloa Neighborhood Board (No. 28) via the Neighborhood Commission office, to Senator Hee, and to Representative Wooley. It was also sent to DPP's "all list" which includes organizations such as Historic Hawaii Foundation, AIA Honolulu, Sierra Club, OHA, Outdoor Circle, and different media outlets -- including the ones that were there on Tuesday (KITV4 and KGMB) -- and the Star-Advertiser. 

(Note: our last two Envision Laie newsletters also announced the hearing date, time and place.)

Question: Besides creating more jobs, how will the hotel project benefit the community?

Answer: The hotel amenities, such as the banquet facility, will be available for family and community events like family reunions and wedding receptions. The new hotel will help accommodate family and friends visiting Ko'olauloa, patrons visiting the Laie temple, guests of the PCC, and people attending graduations, conferences and seminars at BYU-Hawaii.

Rendering of courtyard and banquet facility area (PCC at right)

The public comment period on the SMA application ends on Friday, February 18th. Those wishing to provide input may do so by e-mailing comments to: koyama@honolulu.gov, with a copy to info@honoluludpp.org. Please include your name, physical address, and a subject line regarding the Laie Hotel SMA permit. We anticipate that DPP will send a draft in March to the City Council, where a public hearing on the application will be held sometime in the next few months.

We are excited about the community benefits that will result from this great project and we'll keep you updated as things continue to move forward.