Senators sent 15 proposed laws to the governor’s desk in a lengthy legislative session that stretched into Wednesday night but referred back to committee a bill to allow vegetation burning.
A burn ban had been implemented in 2018 after initial cleanup of the 2017 hurricanes. With waste disposal sites refusing vegetation, some senators were concerned discarded bush was being dumped haphazardly. In other cases, green waste was piled in huge mounds.
The bill would have allowed for use of “controlled incineration technologies,” including air curtain incinerators — a sort of huge metal box into which limbs and other vegetation would be burned.
Opposition to the bill centered on concerns about smoke and other pollutants, as well as community input from people living nearby, especially downwind.
The Senate did approve the controversial Beeston Hill rezoning, likely handing victory to developers who sought to move the 15.9 acres of green space from low-density residential. Rather than a scattered business zoning as they’d originally sought, an eleventh-hour deal with senators had the property rezoned R-3, which allows for relatively dense residential development.
Lawmakers also approved four nominations to government boards. They affirmed Willard John, Leona Smith, and Celestino White Sr. to the governing board of the V.I. Port Authority. Joseph Donohoo will join the V.I. Board of Contractor, Trades, and Crafts.
The Senate also subpoenaed Public Works Department Director Derrick Gabriel and others, requiring them to testify about long-delayed work reconstructing the territory’s sports stadiums.
Senators voted to rename Hull Bay Road in honor of former Virgin Islands Senate President Lorraine L. Berry. They also voted to honor Alva Alphonse Swan, better known as Coach Tumba, with the Key to the Territory for his contributions to Virgin Islands basketball.
Delinquent boaters will face civil penalties under a bill passed creating the Territorial Marine Safety Fund.
Another bill amended the V.I. Code relating to the Virgin Islands Producer and Adjuster Licensing Act by modifying renewal provisions for insurance producer licenses.
The Senate also passed the following zoning requests, which will be finalized if signed by Gov. Albert Bryan Jr.:
Bill No. 36-0235- An Act ratifying the Governor of the Virgin Islands’ approval of Major Coastal Zone Permit No. CZT-09-22(W) granted to Anquet, Inc.
Bill No. 36-0267 An act rezoning Parcel No. 19-2-111 Estate Smith Bay, Nos. 1, 2, and 3 East End Quarter, St. Thomas from A-1 (Agricultural Zone) to R-3 (Residential-Medium Density).
Bill No. 36-0269- An Act granting a zoning use variance to Plot Nos. 24B and 24D, Estate Body Slob, King Quarter, St. Croix to allow for a bus and passenger terminal
And Bill No. 36-0271 An Act rezoning Plot Nos. 31-B, 32-B, 34-CA, 34-CAA, and 34-CB Strand Street, Christiansted Town, St. Croix from R-3 (Residential-Medium Density) to B-2 (Business-Secondary/
Additionally, senators voted favorably for the following lease agreements:
Bill No. 36-0199- An act approving the lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands, acting through the Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement, and Accent Property Management, LLC. For Parcels No. 123 and 129 Submarine Base, South Side Quarter, St. Thomas, to develop the premises to operate, establish, and manage a slate of subtenants, pursuant to an approved development plan.
Bill No. 36-0204- An act approving a multiyear lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands, acting through its commissioner of the Property and Procurement Department, and Commercial Investments LLC, for Parcel No. 30 Submarine Base, No. 6 Southside Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, for a logistics storage warehouse and other related purposes.
The Senate also passed legislation expanding benefits under the Hotel Development Program for hotel improvement and expansion projects on St. Croix, establishing a 33-business day amnesty to assist taxpayers and businesses recovering from the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria and Tropical Storm Earnesto by waiving penalties and interest imposed for the nonpayment of taxes, and amending Act No. 9035 by redesignating the funding source for several entities and correcting a typographical error and amending Act No. 9045 by inserting and striking appropriations.
