July 25, 2006 – Coral World withdrew its application Tuesday night for a major Coastal Zone Management permit in order to address the committee's concerns about the East End marine park's plan to build an additional seaside enclosure for sea lions it hopes to adopt and incorporate into the park's attractions (See "Coral World Pinning Its Hopes for Survival on Sea Lions").
Immediately at issue is the requirement for a Water Quality Report from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources' Division of Environmental Protection. The committee initially moved to allow Trudie Prior, Coral World general manager, 30 days to address its concerns but later rescinded that decision, advising her to withdraw the application and resubmit it once the committee's concerns had been addressed. The committee is concerned specifically about how the marine park plans to handle the sea lions' feces.
The committee approved three other major permits and denied one at the decision hearing held at the Planning and Natural Resources conference room at Cyril E. King Airport.
In addition to approving permits for a proposed resort at Botany Bay (See Botany Bay Project Gets OK from CZM Committee), the committee gave a unanimous thumbs-up to a permit for an existing dock in Estate Nazareth, Vessup Bay, owned by Christian Kjaer. Commission members imposed four special conditions on the permit, which included: no boat maintenance and no live-aboard vessels at the dock, no construction activities and no handling of petroleum products.
Commissioners seemed to have little problem approving a campground on Water Island. V.I. Campground Inc. has proposed to develop a low-impact 16-foot-by-16-foot eco-tent campground with seven tents, a 22-foot-by-14-foot pavilion, two toilets and two showers. The campground sits on about a quarter of an acre. Special conditions relative to the permit include: taking down the tents whenever a hurricane warning is issued, providing proof of private garbage collection and properly maintaining the composting toilets.
Citing problems with the size and nature of the project, the CZM committee denied a permit to St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church. The church had applied for a permit to build a church building and two-story rectory in a residential neighborhood in Vessup Bay.
The CZM staff, in suggesting that the permit be denied, said the social impacts in terms of compliance with the character of the area had not been adequately addressed. The staff report also said the proposed building was too high, too wide and too imposing to alleviate visual concerns. The applicant can file a revised permit after waiting 120 days.
The decision hearing was attended by CZM committee members Austin "Babe" Monsanto, chairman; Sarah "Peggy" Simmonds; Winston Adams; Fern LaBorde; and Henry Harrigan.
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