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Residents Raise Concerns about Plans for Gas Station

Guilderoy SprauveThe proximity of a gut, its location on one of Centerline Road’s blind curves, and the presence of filled land were concerns raised by some of the almost 20 people who attended a meeting Sunday called by the developer to discuss plans for a gas station in Estate Adrian.

The meeting was held at the Westin Resort and Villas on St. John.

“And I’m worried about loitering, noise, light pollution. I’m worried about all kinds of stuff,” said one man who lives across the street from the project.

No one argued that St. John doesnt need another gas station. Only E&C gas station in Pine Peace is open. A second station, a Domino in Coral Bay, has been shuttered since March. Domino company spokesman Marta Novoy said last week that the company plans to reopen the station, but she didn’t know when.

Several people urged Guilderoy Sprauve and his partner, Gerren Sprauve, to locate their gas station at the Domino site.

“That gas station is sorely missed. It’s the perfect spot for a second gas station,” Coral Bay area resident Bonny Corbeil said.

But the Sprauves own the property in Adrian and plan to build the gas station and self-serve convenience store on 1.5 acres of land east of the former concrete plant. Another lot sits between it and the former concrete plant. They need a rezoning from R-1, residential low density, to Industrial 2 to start the process.

The rezoning hearing, to be held by the Planning and Natural Resources, is the next step.

The Sprauves plan to used double-walled tanks that sit above ground in a containment dike, Paul Tollefson said. Tollefson is the president of Petroleum Equipment Sales and Installation, which will install the tanks for the Sprauves.

“A sump under the tank will contain any leaks,” he said.

The site sits near Battery Gut, a major watershed that drains into the Fish Bay area and was a concern for some of those at the meeting.

“You’re at the very top of the watershed,” St. John resident Pam Gaffin said.

Guilderoy Sprauve said the issue of loose fill will be addressed when soil tests are done. The fill was dumped on the property by contractors hired by Sirenusa, a large condominium project that was never finished. He said he didn’t know that he needed a permit from Planning for the fill to be dumped. When he learned about the permit requirement, he stopped Sirenusa’s contractors from dumping.

He said Planning requires them to locate the station 30 feet back from center of a gut.

The Sprauves initially planned to put the station on property they own further east on Centerline Road, but Guilderoy Sprauve said neighbors had concerns about fumes and noise. This, as well as the fact that the concrete plant is zoned I-2, convinced them to use that site.

After one woman complained that the Sprauves should have held the meeting closer to the gas station’s proposed site, E&C owner Myrtle Barry urged them to get to know the community. While the Sprauves have their roots on St. John, they do not live on the island.

“St. John is different. Be neighborly,” she said.

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