Officials with The Contemporary Museum are appealing a city permit that allows the expansion of the Makiki Heights museum, less than a month after praising the city for approving the permit.

On July 21, the Department of Planning and Permitting granted the museum a conditional-use permit to build exhibit space for its permanent collection, provide room for educational programs, and create more storage and parking. Museum officials at the time said they were thrilled that the long-awaited permit was approved and that construction on the $15.5 million project could begin next year.

The permit came with 15 conditions that must be met by the museum, and officials said that three of the conditions would place "substantial economic and practical burdens on the museum's ability to use the property."

The museum filed a petition with the city Zoning Board of Appeals, asking that two conditions be amended and one be deleted.

Pualana Lemelle, museum spokeswoman, issued a statement yesterday, saying the museum is "working with government agencies to clarify some of the conditions." She would not comment on why the museum did not object to the conditions when the city granted the permit last month.

In its petition, the museum accused the Department of Planning and Permitting of imposing conditions that were "an abuse of discretion" and "not in accordance with the law." The petition also said the department reversed approvals of the museum's plans, then implemented conditions that caught the museum by surprise.

The museum objected to a condition that required a new building to be built within the footprint of an existing tennis court. Officials said this condition is "virtually impossible to achieve" because the space is too small.

The museum also said that new restrictions to night events would severely hurt its ability to raise funds. Under its current agreement, the museum is allowed to hold four evening events a year with a limit of 200 people per event. Once a year, the museum can hold a major fundraising event, known as "Contempo," with up to 450 people and no time constraints.

The conditional use permit, however, would allow six evening events with a limit of 200 guests that must end by 10 p.m., according to the museum's petition. "Contempo" accounts for about a third of the museum's $3 million annual operating budget. This condition "effectively eliminates the possibility of Contempo being held on site," the petition said.

"Without continued donations primarily from museum members, the museum would not be able to continue to operate, and the historic property would be at risk of demolition and redevelopment as a residential subdivision or cluster development," the petition said. The Contemporary Museum is housed in a home built in 1925 by the wife of Charles Montague Cooke.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.