LIHU‘E — A proposal for a new brewpub in Hanalei was withdrawn at Tuesday’s Planning Commission meeting.
It was part of a joint proposal between developers Hanalei Commercial Company Inc., and Na Pali Brewing Company LLC, that was first brought up last month.
The pair sought special-management-area use permits and a Class IV Zoning permit for construction of a new, two-story commercial brewery, sidewalk and pedestrian bridge and increased parking at 5-5105 Kuhio Hwy., a total of about four acres of land.
The project required amendments to current SMA use permits and variances to accommodate parking for the proposed development, increased land coverage and adjustment to employee-housing specifications.
Last month, all action was deferred to the Oct. 13 commission meeting, which, instead, focused on the employee-housing aspect, as the proposal for the brewery and tasting room, with outdoor space for food trucks and parking, was withdrawn.
One of the main arguments against the commercial area was the potential increase of density on the open-zoned land. In 2006, a master permit upped the land coverage variance from 10% to 25%, then to 33.3%. Another withdrawn permit asked to bring it up to 45%, which much of the submitted testimony against the proposal was bent on.
Blake Conant, co-owner of Na Pali Brewing, said the primary reason for opting out of this plan was due to the proximity to a residential property.
“We couldn’t put this in a spot where it imposed upon our neighbors,” Conant said over the phone Tuesday.
Attorney Max Graham, on behalf of Hanalei Commercial, asked to move forward with the proposed revamp of the parking that will take an existing 16 spaces, redo those and add 35 more spots, as well extending the sidewalk on Kuhio Highway and a pedestrian bridge, which were approved by the commission.
Additionally, the group requested to construct two new employee-housing units, with the allowance for the tenants to be either current or former employees, and asking for permission to build on up to 50% of the lot for these units, which the commission denied.
The current lot already has three units, and issues were arising with lot coverage and the possibility of adding two, 2,000-square-foot units, which landowner Gaylord Wilcox said was not that much space and was a disincentive.
Conant, however, is hopeful to get a brick-and-mortar up within the next year on Kaua‘i.
“Na Pali is going to be killer,” he said.
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Sabrina Bodon, public safety and government reporter, can be reached at 245-0441 or sbodon@thegardenisland.com.
