Whether residential or business or agricultural, every plot of land in the territory will be zoned to automatically allow utility-scale solar power production as a permitted use if a bill approved in committee Tuesday becomes law.
The bill, sponsored by Senate President Shawn-Michael Malone, changes the territory’s zoning code so that "solar thermal energy systems and photovoltaic energy systems, including utility-scale solar voltaic energy generation plants, are permitted uses, as a matter of right, in all zoning districts."
Stuart Smith, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources’ director of Comprehensive and Coastal Zone Planning, testified that the change to the law will "allow a number of projects to go forward," including utility-scale solar power agreements on St. Thomas.
"The primary issue is the zoning code does not make allowances for large-scale deployment of alternative power production, including solar," Smith said.
Attorneys representing solar power contractors testified in support of the changes, saying that clarifying the zoning law would reassure lenders, freeing up financing that would enable several projects to move forward. A St. Croix project is already under way (See related links below) but plans for St. Thomas are being held up while this issue is resolved, attorney James Casner said.
The committee also approved two symbolic resolutions sponsored by Sen. Janette Millin Young concerning the territory’s agricultural products. One would declare the Julie mango as the "Virgin Islands Fruit of Choice."
The resolution also directs the University of the Virgin Islands to hold an annual workshop on growing mangos and the Department of Agriculture to set aside land on all three islands to develop harvesting and production factories for mangoes. The resolution "requires" the Legislature to provide funding, but does not actually provide any funding.
The second declares the U.S. Virgin Islands as the “Bush Tea Capital of the Caribbean," as a symbolic measure in support of the custom and the business of growing herbal and medicinal teas in the territory.
All three measures were approved and sent on for further consideration by the Rules and Judiciary Committee without dissent. Voting yea were Young, Malone, Sens. Myron Jackson, Sammuel Sanes, Diane Capehart and Clifford Graham. Sen. Nereida "Nellie" Rivera-O’Reilly was absent.
