Pond Bay Clubs permit is expired, according to Jamal Nielsen, Department of Planning and Natural Resources spokesperson. However, Bob Emmett, the managing director of First American Development Group/Carib, which is developing the luxury condos, said the permit is still valid and that environmental work is being done at the site.
The Pond Bay Club, which will consist of 50 three- and four-bedroom villas and cottages to be sold individually, is subjected to a higher level of scrutiny than other developments on the island because it is located within the first tier of the Coastal Zone Management (CZM).
According to CZM rules and regulations, construction must begin within 12 months from the date that a CZM permit becomes effective, and work must continue until the building or development is complete.
The permit isnt open and has been expired for some time now, said Nielsen. They have 12 months after the issue of the permit to start work. Because it is expired, they must go through the permitting process again.
Environmentally Related Work
The permit is still open and contains requirements for work that is environmentally related, said Emmett, who added that he was surprised to hear that a DPNR representative stated otherwise. Work has certainly been on-going to this day, and is part of the development process.
At a Nov. 29 town meeting, residents raised concerns about the companys permit, and noted that no visible work had been done on the site since the permit was granted.
The permit required us to continue to do extensive environmental testing, said Emmett. Were not allowed to start construction until that process is finished.
