TW_07.13.09_Edition.pdf - St. John Tradewinds News

4 St. John Tradewinds, July 13-19, 2009
DeJongh Approves One St. John Rezoning Request, Vetoes Two
By Jaime Elliott
St. John Tradewinds
Governor John deJongh approved one St.
John rezoning request and vetoed two others
while taking action on a number of bills on
Friday, July 3.
Jens and Irma Pickering’s .24 acre parcel
in Estate Enighed was rezoned from R-4
(residential medium density) to B-2 (business
secondary). The Pickerings requested
to renovate and expand their existing building
to house a grocery store and offices in
the future.
Following recommendations from the
Department of Planning and Natural Resources,
deJongh vetoed requests by Ronnie
Jones and Gershwain Sprauve to rezone
their properties from R-1 (residential low
density) to R-4 (residential medium density).
Jones had requested the rezoning on his
2.96-acre Estate Susannaberg property in
order to build an apartment complex consisting
of 18 units in six buildings, a pool,
laundry facility and conference room.
At a September 30 public hearing hosted
by DPNR’s Division of Comprehensive and
Coastal Zone Planning, Jones said he expected
the same consideration which was
afforded to the government.
“My grandfather and his brothers were
mainly responsible for establishing the V.I.
National Park by contributing land,” Jones
said at the September public hearing. “My
grandfather supplied land to the Department
of Public Works when they needed a transfer
station. When St. John needed a bigger
clinic, my family supplied land to meet that
need.”
“DPNR was accommodating to the government
and now that the family members
have a need to rezone, we expect the same
thought, consideration and accommodations,”
Jones told officials at the September
St. John Tradewinds News Photo by Tom Oat
Jens and Irma Pickering’s request to rezone their Estate Enighed
property, above, was approved.
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meeting.
Sprauve requested the rezoning from R-1
to R-4 on his .23 acre in Estate Adrian in
order to make an existing two story building
accommodate an additional two units.
The existing concrete building, which is
located off Centerline Road, already consists
of two four-bedroom units and Sprauve
requested the rezoning to construct an interior
wall to create four two-bedroom units.
CCZP senior planner Julius Jessup voiced
concern over both of the R-4 requests on the
basis that the zoning is intended for mainly
urban areas. In a letter to Senate President
Louis Hill accompanying the bills he signed
and vetoed, deJongh expressed his own
concerns with allowing such density on St.
John.
“My decisions were based upon the recommendations
of DPNR as it assessed the
various zoning applications,” wrote de-
Jongh. “In particular, I note the properlyplaced
reservations that DPNR has with
respect to placing areas in St. John in the
R-4 category when there is a marked lack of
infrastructure required to properly support
its high-density allowances in those areas.”
“While I support the principle that landowners
should be able to properly utilize
their real estate holdings, I reiterate that rezoning
to that end must adequately respect
the interests of adjoining landowners and
appropriate development standards,” wrote
the governor.
A rezoning request by Alfredo and Maria
Alejo to change their 0.67-acre property in
Estate Enighed from R-2 (residential lowdensity)
to R-3 (residential medium density)
is still pending.
The Alejos are requesting the zoning
change in order construct a three buildings
for 15 low-income apartment units, two
pools, two parking lots and a single family
cottage on their land atop Jacob’s Ladder.