BLUA’s Lovango Decision Not Issued

The Board of Land Use Appeal’s (BLUA) action overturning a number of special conditions mandated for the controversial Lovango Cay barge ramp was not issued by the deadline of Wednesday, April 12, after the BLUA attorney left the territory without completing the written decision.

After a heated public hearing in July 2005, the St. John Coastal Zone Management Committee (CZM) adopted CZM staff recommendations and decided in August 2005 to approve the John Joseph Markus Trust’s major application with a number of special conditions.

CZM Permit Special Conditions
Four of the 12 conditions were the removal of the existing catwalks; not allowing the installation of eight small jet ski and dinghy lifts; not allowing a reverse osmosis line; and not allowing the installation of a concrete ramp at the shoreward side of the barge landing.

Each of those four special conditions was overturned by the six-member BLUA in mid-March.

The BLUA’s legal council, Assistant Attorney General Gabriela Stastny—who was appointed to the post in late-November and left the territory on April 13—was due to issue the written decision by April 12.

“I will not comment on the decision until the opinion is written which is due on April 12,” she said. “Once that is done, I will answer any questions.”

When contacted on April 12, however, Stastny said she had not written the decision yet and would not be around to answer questions.

Stastny also stated she didn’t know who would be taking over as the BLUA legal council.

Repeated calls to the Attorney General’s office were not returned last week.