The state agency that oversees high-rise construction in Kakaako changed its rules last year to reduce the amount of mountain and ocean views blocked by new towers, but the first project proposed since the change wants an exemption.

The developer of the planned luxury residential condominium dubbed Symphony at the corner of Kapiolani Boulevard and Ward Avenue, ewa of Blaisdell Center, wants to build the 400-foot tower with its long side parallel to Kapiolani.

Such orientation violates Hawaii Community Development Authority rules that became effective in October after seven years of work to improve 30-year-old planning principals governing 450 acres bounded by Ala Moana and King, Piikoi and Punchbowl streets.

The new rules, based on the agency’s Mauka Area Plan, require that the long side of towers run parallel to the nearest of five mauka-makai streets — Punchbowl, South, Cooke, Ward and Piikoi — with a deviation of no more than 20 degrees.

The request by Symphony’s San Diego-based developer, OliverMcMillan, was revealed during a preliminary public hearing the agency held Wednesday. It is certain to attract opposition from community members and organizations that favor the new rules.

Bob Loy, director of environmental programs for the Outdoor Circle, said OliverMcMillan isn’t being sensitive to the beauty of the island that will be obscured by its project. "Are we going to have a canyon of concrete and glass?" he asked. "We think (the developer) should lead by example and minimize the impact on view planes."

The Kakaako development agency recognized that its old rules might produce such a canyon of towers one day dominating thoroughfares such as Kapiolani — or produce a wall along Ala Moana, the makai border where towers up to 400 feet are permitted.

Developers typically seek to maximize ocean views from inside their buildings, and hence condo prices, by facing one broad side of a building makai, or toward the ocean.

Symphony is designed to have 407 units, with units on both long sides of the building.

OliverMcMillan development director Dan Nishikawa said building Symphony with its long side parallel to Kapiolani, or roughly parallel to the ocean and mountains, will alleviate the need to build the tower over an underground stream channel. Such orientation also would reduce energy consumption by keeping the long sides of the building out of the direct path of the sun, he said.

Agency rules, however, say requests to deviate from the building-orientation requirement should not be considered if the proposed orientation has a greater impact on mauka-makai views.

The agency has scheduled a vote by its board on March 7 to decide whether to give OliverMcMillan the variance.

Public testimony will be accepted.

A vote on the overall development permit for the tower will be scheduled for a later date. Public testimony also will be allowed at that meeting.

TOWER WANTS EXEMPTION TO NEW RULE

The Hawaii Community Development Authority, a state agency governing high-rise development in Kakaako, revised its rules last year to minimize impacts from towers on mauka-makai views. The first project proposed under the new rules is Symphony.