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HomeNewsArchivesSTUDY FINDS V.I. IN DANGER FROM FLOODING

STUDY FINDS V.I. IN DANGER FROM FLOODING

A comprehensive report on flood plains in the territory could have important consequences for V.I. residents in general and developers in particular.
Commissioned by the V.I. government, the report was published a few weeks ago by Island Resources Foundation, and the group will soon follow up with a proposed revision of flood hazard-related legislation/regulations.
Among its conclusions: More of the Virgin Islands is in danger from flooding – particularly flash flooding – now than has been thought, and the government needs to restrict development tightly in those areas.
IRF favors giving the Planning and Natural Resources Department more control over monitoring the situation.
Citing testimony from some residents at public hearings held in June, the report suggests that the government consider treating all flood hazard areas as it does "Tier One" areas, thereby requiring a Coastal Zone Management permit for any development there. The Tier One designation might be an interim step as the government works out a separate set of regulations for flood hazard areas.
Current zoning laws, while not as strong as in some communities, "may still serve as an important regulatory tool in protecting future development from flooding," the IRF report states. However, "parts of the regulations may require revisions in order to be clarified and strengthened in terms of implementation and enforcement."
And, the IRF says, Planning and Natural Resources, not the Legislature, needs to be given the authority to determine land use. "The present zoning system in the Virgin Islands has no control over flood mitigation as long as the Legislature is the first level of appeal to determine whether lots or parcels of land should be re-zoned," the report states.
The study also suggests that DPNR be given direct enforcement powers, rather than having to call upon the V.I. Justice Department to implement its regulations.
And it recommends that the territory "downzone" – that is, reduce the number of dwelling units allowable – in parts of the islands that are flood hazard areas.
Other recommendations include:
– Improving weather warnings.
– Placing deed restrictions on hazard areas.
– Prohibiting the reconstruction of "nonconforming" structures in hazard areas if they have suffered more than 50 percent damage in flooding.
The report includes a partial listing of "repetitive flooding areas" on the three main islands. On St. Croix, the areas generally flood because they are in a floodplain where either they have no drainage or the drainage has been changed. On St. Thomas and St. John, most of the areas flood not because they are in a floodplain but because they have inadequate drainage or no drainage from runoff. The areas cited:
St. Croix: Mon Bijou, Estate Glynn Route 75, Villa La Reine intersection at Queen Mary Highway, Sunshine Mall, Melvin H. Evans Highway between Williams Delight and Estate Carlton, Estate Prosperity and Estate William seashore, Estate St. George's across from the Botanical Garden, Spring gut, Estate Strawberry, Ricardo Richards Elementary School, Estate Whim intersection with Johnson Road, Upper Bethlehem/Body Slob near John Woodson and Alfredo Andrews schools, Croixville housing community, Estate Castle Burke, Cotton Valley, Queen Mary Highway, Estate White Lady Route 66 intersection Route 662, Parts of Estate Hard Labor.
St. Thomas: Turpentine Run Road, Centerline Road, Vitraco Mall, Sugar Estate, Jenny Hill Development in Bovoni, Savan gut, Contant, Renaissance Grand Beach Resort entrance, Crown Mountain Road by the dumpsters west of Ferrari's restaurant, Donoe Road north of Weymouth Rhymer intersection, Estate Pearl Road, Julian Jackson Highway, Lindberg Bay below Crown Mountain, Fireburn Hill, Long Bay Road between Mandela Circle and Havensight, Mahogany Run and Wintberg Roads, Bolongo Bay Road, Kirwin Terrace School and the University of the Virgin Islands, Smith Bay Road, Stumpy Bay Road, Bordeaux Road, Tutu Park Mall intersection, road between Ulla Muller School and Vitran bus station, several areas of Veterans Drive.
St. John: Parcel 14, Estate Carolina and adjoining parcels of Estate Emmaus, lower parts of Estate Carolina, Fish Bay guts, Great Cruz Bay gut, Haulover Bay Road, Maho Bay Road, John's Folly Road, Cruz Bay gut, the basketball courts and adjacent roads in Cruz Bay, the road by the back-up power generator.

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