An informational meeting on a gas station planned for the Great Cruz Bay area will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Westin Resort and Villas. The Planning and Natural Resources Department recently began requiring developers applying for terminal facility permits to hold informational meetings.
“We hold informational meetings so we can get any concerns,” Planning’s environmental specialist, Kent Bernier Jr., said.
If approved, the station will be located west of the shopping center that’s home to St. John Market. It’s on Southside Road near the Westin. Maps refer to the area as Chocolate Hole, but residents call it Great Cruz Bay.
The .43-acre property is owned by 481-1 Estate Chocolate Hole Realty, headed by St. Thomas resident Nedal Salem. Francisco Nadal is the architect. Keith Smith is also listed on the application, Bernier said.
Planning spokesman Jamal Nielsen said the area is zoned B-3, business scattered. He said gas stations are allowed under this designation.
According to Bernier, the company plans to install two above ground fuel tanks. One will have one compartment holding 25,000 gallons. The second will have two compartments. One holds 20,000 gallons and the other 5,000 gallons.
This meeting marks the second time since August that a gas station is on St. John’s front burner. On Aug. 15, Guilderoy Sprauve and his partner, Gerren Sprauve held a meeting at the Westin to get input on its plans to build a gas station near the former concrete plant on Centerline Road in Estate Adrian.
Planner Stuart Smith said that the Sprauves have applied to Planning for a variance to build the gas station and a conveniences store on the 1.5 acres of land they own. He anticipated a public hearing would be held on that gas station in mid-December.
St. John currently has only one gas station – E&C in Pine Peace outside the town of Cruz Bay. A second station, a Domino located in Coral Bay, closed in March and doesn’t appear to be reopening any time soon.
