Alicia Barnes, of Rittenhouse Consulting LLC, spoke on behalf of property owner Earl Charles, Thursday, who is appealing to the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources to rezone land in Estate Strawberry and allow him to build six apartments.
The property Charles wants to convert consists of a vacant lot and an adjacent lot that supports a single-family home and a carport. Charles is requesting rezoning from R-2 (Residential low-density one and two-family to R-3 Residential medium-density) for plots 242, 243, 563, and 564, Estate Strawberry Hill, Queen’s Quarter, St. Croix.
If approved, a six-plex apartment house will utilize both lots — a little more than half an acre. The new structure will tie into the existing municipal water and sewer utilities and there will be 10 parking spaces.
Leia LaPlace-Matthew, DPNR’s territorial planner, managed the hearing and was told that Charles will be the project contractor.
There were no questions from the public, but Rokiya Andreses from Fish and Wildlife asked about a landscaping plan and was told there is not one yet. She also noted that agave may be growing on the property. Barnes said the builders have a former Fish and Wildlife team member working with them on the landscaping.
According to Barnes, there has not been a flora and fauna study of the property yet but the land is not in a flood zone. She said the Historic Preservation Society has inspected ruins on the property, which appear to be former stables. The ruins will not be disturbed, she added.
“That’s what I was told. People in the community think they are old stables,” she said.
At the end of the hearing, LaPlace-Matthew announced that the public will be able to comment about the project until Feb. 8. DPNR will then write a recommendation — to approve, deny or modify — and refer their final plan to the Legislature. After a Senate committee reviews the plan, it will be voted on by the Committee of the Whole.
