The Senate Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure and Planning Committee met Thursday and heard from Department of Planning and Natural Resources Commissioner Jean-Pierre Oriol on new land acquisitions, historic preservation efforts, and zoning reforms underway as part of the Comprehensive Land and Water Use Plan.
The Department of Planning and Natural Resources has finalized the purchase of 2,400 acres in Maroon Ridge, with another 150 acres in Perseverance soon to follow, Oriol told lawmakers Tuesday.
“We already have several land holdings, and we’re looking to acquire even more, but we want to make sure that we capture, what the people of St. Croix feel we should be doing with the property,” Oriol said. The department plans to engage the community on future uses for the land, with a focus on conservation and recreation.
Lawmakers praised the acquisition as a milestone for the territory. “I hope that as we move forward, that generations to come will appreciate that purchase … We don’t want to become a concrete jungle,” said Sen. Marise C. James, chair of the committee.
Sen. Kurt A. Vialet echoed the sentiment, calling the purchase “a tremendous accomplishment for the people of the Virgin Islands, because it’s going to belong to the people of the Virgin Islands in perpetuity.”
Officials said the new acquisitions will expand the territorial park system and protect natural resources for future generations. “We want to make sure we preserve the areas that need preservation and leave them uninterfered,” Oriol added.
The expansion of the territorial park system is also expected to play a key role in protecting the Virgin Islands’ natural environment and wildlife. Oriol highlighted ongoing efforts to safeguard endangered species and sensitive habitats, including the Agave eggersiana plant and the St. Croix ground lizard.
“There are certain areas where we’re taking some of the endangered animals and trying to relocate them and see if the populations hold. But it is an active program,” Oriol said. He also noted that the department is finalizing a five year state wildlife action plan to guide conservation efforts for both terrestrial and marine species.
Lawmakers have advocated for new initiatives, such as creating bird sanctuaries to boost ecotourism. “I’d love to see us … while considering the Maroon Ridge area, to create a bird sanctuary. We have some indigenous birds … There’s a big tourism market in Costa Rica and other areas as it pertains to birds and bird sanctuary. And I’m hoping that we can utilize, you know, a portion of that to market and be able to develop that, that whole bird sanctuary, another dream that I’m hoping to see,” said Sen. Novelle E. Francis Jr.
As the territory looks ahead, officials admit historic preservation standards are overdue for an overhaul — especially on St. John. “The guidelines were from, I believe, the 1960s … there actually are no guidelines for St. John specifically,” said Oriol. Attempts to update them stalled due to high costs, but Oriol stressed that modern standards are vital to protect the islands’ unique character as more land is conserved.
With new land now under protection, officials are shifting focus toward modernizing the territory’s outdated zoning code. The proposed reforms hope to make zoning more flexible and responsive to community needs. “The idea is to make the categories more general, so that more activities can fit under it,” explained Oriol.
Vialet pressed for clearer limits, cautioning, “I think you need to be a more narrow designation, that when you receive some type of zoning, it’s just not a free-for-all with 100 different categories you qualify for.”
To help ease the territory’s housing shortage, officials are proposing height waivers for affordable housing projects.
“We want to create a height waiver for affordable housing. Right now, most of our areas are limited to three stories,” said Oriol. “I believe the only way that we’re going to be able to create affordable housing is to build vertically.”
Sen. Angel Bolques Jr. emphasized the urgency, saying, “We’re in a housing crisis here, and affordable housing is something that we’re in dire need of.”
To support these initiatives, DPNR is pursuing federal grants, including CDBG-MIT funding, and has hired an implementation coordinator. “Our biggest one is the CDBG-MIT funding,” Oriol noted. “We’ve been speaking to HFA about putting in an application. We actually have a draft right now.”
He credited his team for securing a $77 million NOAA award, calling it “a significant, significant feat.” While collaboration with other agencies continues, formal agreements are still needed to move shared goals forward. “We want to push things in the AG plan forward. We want to push the things in the Vision 2040 plan forward. We want to push things in the housing plan forward,” Oriol said.
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