The Honolulu Building Board of Appeals denied a request from developer Christy Z. Lei to continue building a “monster home” at 3615 Sierra Drive in a residential neighborhood of Kaimuki.

The board Friday upheld the revocation by the Department of Planning and Permitting of a building permit for three two-story houses, with 17-1/2 bathrooms on a single 19,000- square-foot lot. It also has four wet bars, which exceeds the two allowed for a single zoning lot of more than 10,000 square feet.

DPP Director Dawn Takeuchi Apuna said in a written statement that Lei will have to demolish portions of three buildings to come into compliance with the law.

The board approved the Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Order, which explain how it came to its decision, but did not release the document publicly Friday.

The board’s six members unanimously agreed with DPP that Lei’s building permit plans contained incorrect information and that the project violated the city’s “monster homes” ordinance,” a DPP news release said.

“After the permit was approved and issued, additional review of the plans by the DPP revealed the discrepancies, including the floor area ratio (FAR) that exceeded the threshold under the city’s monster homes ordinance,” the news release said.

“The FAR is significant in determining the applicable restrictions under the ordinance. The project also exceeded the number of permitted bathrooms, wet bars and did not provide sufficient side yards.”

The DPP revoked the permit in June 2022, and Lei appealed the action. A contested-case hearing was held June and July.

Lei’s attorney, Elijah Yip, had said in July that construction on her property was stalled at 75% complete. Lei had told the board on June 23 that she relied on an unlicensed draftsman, Gerry Peria, and others who worked at E.Y. Aczon Architects to correctly calculate floor area ratio.

Takeuchi Apuna said in a written statement: “This is a major victory that sends a strong message that monster homes will not be tolerated. The restrictions on these large houses exist to protect and preserve the character of our residential neighborhoods.

“We thank the Board for their full consideration and decision on this matter, as well as the community that alerted us to investigate and scrutinize the applicant’s resubmittal.”

She warned that those who evade the law will face fines, permit revocation and administrative enforcement proceedings to the fullest extent of the law.

Lei had testified she had already spent $1.5 million on a project now determined to be noncompliant and illegal, Takeuchi Apuna said.

“To come into compliance for the existing structures, at the very least, the developer will need a new building permit and will need to demolish portions of the three dwellings.”