LIHU‘E — Calvary Chapel Kauai Church leaders are pursuing the phased development of a church complex in Kapa‘a that could take 20 years to build. The project would be developed in five phases on 12 acres located immedi-ately makai of
LIHU‘E — Calvary Chapel Kauai Church leaders are pursuing the phased development of a church complex in Kapa‘a that could take 20 years to build.
The project would be developed in five phases on 12 acres located immedi-ately makai of the Kapa‘a bypass road.
When completed, the project, which encompasses construction of buildings and structures totaling more than 110,00 square feet, could become the largest or be among the largest church complexes on Kaua‘i.
Calvary leaders and supporters made a presentation on the proposal during a public hearing before the Kaua‘i County Planning Commission held at the Lihu‘e Civic Center on Tuesday.
No opposition was voiced, but the hearing was continued to Tuesday, Feb. 22, according to a county planner.
The church group is seeking a use permit, a special permit and a Class IV Zoning permit. The project site is desig-nated by the county for agricultural and open use, but the church project could move forward if Planning Commission members approve the use permit.
The church leaders have proposed a facility at the church grounds that aims to support efforts by government offi-cials to blunt the use of drugs on Kaua‘i, and to help rehabilitate substance abuse users.
Church leaders are proposing the con-struction of a “U-Turn Disciple Center” as part of a second phase of the project.
But unlike other traditional substance abuse rehabilitation programs, this pro-gram may rely more on the power of God and faith to dissuade drug use and to facilitate rehabilitation, a county plan-ner said.
All of the participants in the program will be under 24-hour supervision by trained staff members, Lorna Nishim-itsu, a Kaua‘i attorney representing the church group, said in documents sent to the Kaua‘i County Planning Department.
She noted the program “is a proven ministry for the treatment of drug and alcohol abuse.”
The single-story, 2,160-square-foot center would resemble a barracks, and will accommodate 20 residents. The center will boast a conference and study area, a communal bathroom, and kitchen, and a covered lanai at the main entrance.
Program participants will work on ag-ricultural projects on the property.
Members of the church group have been working with representatives from Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste’s adminis-tration to help implement the Kaua‘i Community Drug Re-sponse plan.
Baptiste has vigorously supported implementation of the program, which focuses on treatment, prevention, enforcement and “community integration” as a way to halt the spreading use of drugs on Kaua‘i.
Baptiste has enlisted the aid of leaders at Calvary Chapel and other organizations in im-plementing the anti-drug plan.
According to plans sub-mitted to the Kaua‘i County Planning Department, these improvements are proposed for Calvary project:
- The first phase calls for the use of an 8,000-square-foot tent that would be placed on a con-crete slab, a caretaker’s resi-dence, containers, two smaller tents for Sunday School use, and a trailer for the church’s office and portable restrooms. Because of the immediate need to have a place from which church leaders can operate, they decided to set up the tem-porary structures. The church leaders currently have a tem-porary permit from the Kaua‘i Fire Department to do that;
- The second phase calls for the construction of a single-story maintenance building that would total about 2,100 square feet. The building would include a bathroom with a shower stall, a two-story, multipurpose fellowship cen-ter, and an entry welcome and a security kiosk;
- The third phase calls for construction of a “permanent,” 11,000-square-foot “main sanctuary,” a complex to which church leaders hope to locate their “place of worship, ministry offices, children’s classrooms, a fellowship hall and meeting places for small groups.” An office and a fel-lowship hall would be housed in a two-story building totaling 7,200 square feet, according to county documents. A kitchen and a restroom facility also would be built. The children’s ministry building will be two stories, and will consist of 7,200 square feet;
- The fourth phase calls for the development of an audio and video production studio, totaling about 484 square feet and having a bathroom;
- The fifth phase proposes an outdoor amphitheater of be-tween 4,000 and 6,000 square feet that could accommodate up to 750 people.
A staging area and restroom facilities will contain about 1,400 square feet. This phase also calls for the construction of a chapel that would total 1,024 square feet and would provide a maximum seating capacity for 68 persons. The chapel could be used for wed-dings, funerals, baby dedica-tions, prayer meetings and worship services, church lead-ers said.
Church leaders also initially proposed between 300 and 335 parking stalls to be built within the 12 acres. But church leaders now want to build only about 190 parking stalls, con-tending uses will be primarily for the church, and the use of various buildings will be stag-gered and inconsistent.
The 12-acre site is ideally suited for the church, Nishim-itsu contended.
Calvary church leaders and other church leaders who have proposed to do what Calvary Chapel officials are proposing to do have looked for land for their church uses, she said.
But “the reality is that most of the lands on Kaua‘i are lo-cated within the state agricul-tural district,” Nishimitsu said.
Calvary Chapel leaders, however, could use the land if the use permit is granted, a county planner said.
