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HomeNewsArchivesCZM Committee Gets Mostly Good Marks at St. John Meeting

CZM Committee Gets Mostly Good Marks at St. John Meeting

Dec. 6, 2007 — Several people said Thursday they would like more time to speak at public Coastal Zone Management Committee hearings, offering their opinions about the territory's CZM program in a a meeting on St. John called by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
"And better presentations by the developers," said St. John resident Sharon Coldren.
Coldren, president of the Coral Bay Community Council, was one of about 10 people who attended the meeting at the Legislature building. NOAA also held meetings on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
Such meetings are a requirement of the CZM Act passed in 1972, said Rosemarie McKeeby, NOAA's evaluation team leader.
The St. John CZM Committee chairman gives the public only three minutes to speak, Coldren said. She also said modifications — which can be large in scope — don't get public hearings, so the public doesn't have an opportunity to say what it thinks about the changes.
No one had anything bad to stay about the CZM staff.
St. John developer Roger Harland said he has often taken the advice of inspector Carl Howard, even though it cost him more money, because he knew it was good.
"By following his advice, you avoid pitfalls," Harland said.
Harland also said he'd like to see the Legislature taken out of the CZM process. Major permits must be approved by the Legislature.
The Legislature has approved projects that Planning staff opposed, Harland said, referring to the rezoning process that comes under the Planning and Natural Resources domain rather than CZM.
CZM needs more staff, Coldren said. She also said she'd like the CZM to implement the Area of Particular Concern program for Coral Bay.
St. John resident Barry Devine added that Coral Bay serves as a shark habitat and has numerous seagrass beds. He suggested that CZM or Planning incorporate green building practices. Devine heads the Island Green Building Association, which is pushing for building practices less harmful to the environment.
Devine said he was surprised to see so few people at the meeting, because St. John residents really care about CZM issues.
The public can comment until Dec. 21, McKeeby said. Send comments by email
or mail to Rosemarie McKeeby, NOAA/NOS/OCRM, 1305 East-West Highway (N/ORM7), Silver Spring, MD 20910.
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