Members of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources’ Coastal Zone Management Committee met Wednesday for a scheduled decision meeting on the redevelopment of two St. Thomas schools.
The meeting, which was held via Microsoft Teams, convened 20 minutes later than scheduled, and proceeded without a three-person quorum of committee members present. As such, no final decision could be made on any of the three projects.
Nevertheless, stakeholders in the Yvonne E. Milliner Bowsky Elementary School and the Emmanuel Benjamin Oliver Elementary School redevelopment projects presented revisions to their proposals made since a March 24 public hearing and subsequent public comment period.
At the March 24 hearing, committee member Vance E. Pinney expressed concerns about a well located on the Bowsky Campus. Katia White, a presenter with the Suffolk Construction/CBNA joint venture, awarded the Bowsky contract, stated that those concerns have been addressed with the addition of a chain-link enclosure.
“We propose having a five-sided chain-link enclosure … to prevent any type of accident that could happen with its current state,” she said.
White also addressed previously raised concerns about the flow of traffic on Mandahl Road.
“The vehicular loop could sustain a double car loop to have the increased capacity of cars during pickup and drop off time. It has a potential vehicle queue of 30+ vehicles … The administrative operations of the school would definitely have to work … to sustain this idea,” she said.
Stressing the importance of administrative coordination, White also recommended staggered arrival and dismissal times for children of different ages in hopes of decreasing traffic congestion.
CZM Director Marlon Hibbert shared his thoughts on the double car loop.
“I would suggest the kids have an age range, and those closer to the curb should be the youngest ones because they have greater tendency to just run off … and then the older kids, who are less prone to running off or screaming when they see their friend would be in the other lane.”
The committee also briefly discussed the Emmanuel Benjamin Oliver Elementary School redevelopment project. After speaking with Virgin Islands Waste Management, plans were revised to connect the newly constructed school to a closer 12-inch sewer main. The revised plans will minimally disturb surrounding vegetation and, because it is situated downhill, will avoid the need for a wastewater pump.
Reflecting public comments received following the March 24 hearing, presenters also proposed placing a small model of the original EBO school and historical information in the new school’s administrative building.
Because a quorum was not met, the decision meeting was adjourned without a final decision on either project. CZM Committee Chair Jawanza Hilaire thanked attendees for their time and apologized to presenters for the lack of a final decision.
“I do sincerely apologize again for not having everybody on, but I think we would have gone through similar discussions and it possibly would have been a little longer trying to figure everything out on the spot. Next week I’m going to make sure that everybody’s on, and we’ll do a special session just to have these matters voted on,” he said.
An executive session will be called to bring both matters to a final vote at the start of the committee’s next meeting on July 1st.
In addition to Hilaire, CZM member Vance Pinney was present.
