USVI Public Records

Document text

COMMITTEE ON DISASTER RECOVERY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING BILL NO. 36-0211 Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Virgin Islands November 17, 2025 An act amending title 29 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 3, subchapter I., to allow small-scale distilleries and breweries in certain zones upon public notice and approval by the Department of Planning and Natural Resources PROPOSED BY: Senator Milton E. Potter by Request of the Governor WHEREAS, the revitalization of agriculture and rum production in the Virgin Islands, 1 particularly on St. Croix, offers meaningful opportunities for economic development, cultural 2 preservation, and tourism growth; 3 WHEREAS, several small-scale agricultural ventures have sought to vertically integrate 4 their operations through value-added processing, including distillation of cane and other local 5 crops; 6 WHEREAS, the Government of the Virgin Islands recognizes the need to support this 7 growth while maintaining proper land-use oversight, transparency, and environmental review; 8 WHEREAS, the Government of the Virgin Islands must foster entrepreneurship and 9 economic growth while simultaneously ensuring that any changes to land use is accompanied 10 by opportunities for community input and appropriate oversight; Now, Therefore, 11 2 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands: 1 SECTION 1. Title 29 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 3, subchapter I. is amended as 2 follows: 3 (a) In section 225, subsection (b): 4 (1) Strike paragraph (4) and insert: 5 “(4) Agricultural processing. The primary or complete processing of 6 agricultural products which, by reason of bulk or perishable nature or both, should 7 reasonably be processed close to the point of origin, including microbreweries and 8 micro distilleries but not including commercial slaughtering of animals, breweries, 9 or distilleries.”; and 10 (2) Insert the following paragraphs: 11 “(17A) “Brewery” means an establishment which manufactures or produces 12 beer or cider for sale or distribution.” 13 “(29A) “Distillery” means an establishment which manufactures or produces 14 spirits or wine for sale or distribution.” 15 “(70A) “Microbrewery” means a brewery that manufactures one or more 16 varieties of beer or cider in a quantity not to exceed 100,000 gallons or 3,125 barrels 17 per year from all facilities on the premises.” 18 “(70B) “Micro distillery” means a distillery that manufactures or produces 19 spirits or wine in a quantity not to exceed 100,000 gallons or 3,125 barrels per year 20 from all facilities on the premises.” 21 (b) In section 228: 22 3 (1) In the I-2 LIGHT INDUSTRY and W-2 WATERFRONT-INDUSTRIAL 1 strike “Alcohol & Alcoholic Beverages, Manufacture” and insert “Distillery/Brewery” 2 wherever it appears; 3 (2) In the W-2 WATERFRONT INDUSTRIAL strike “Agriculture Processing” 4 and insert “Agricultural Processing”; and 5 (3) In the A-I AGRICULTURAL ZONE, A-2 AGRICULTURAL ZONE, and 6 the R-1 RESIDENTIAL LOW DENSITY insert “MICRO BREWERY/MICRO 7 DISTILLERY” to the table of uses. 8 SECTION 2. The Department of Planning and Natural Resources, in collaboration with 9 the Department of Agriculture, shall promulgate regulations to regulate the approval and 10 operation of microbreweries and micro distilleries as accessories to agricultural use in the A-I, 11 A-2, R-1, R-2 zoning districts in the territory. 12 BILL SUMMARY 13 This bill Title 29 Virgin Islands Code Section 225 to add definitions for brewery 14 distillery, microbrewery, and micro distillery, and replace the definition of agriculture 15 processing plant with a definition of “agriculture processing”. This bill further amends section 16 228 by replacing “Alcohol & Alcoholic Beverages, Manufacture” with 17 “BREWERY/DISTILLERY in A-1, A-2, and W-2, and to allow microbreweries and micro 18 distilleries within A-I, A-2, R-1, and R-2 zones as a conditional use. 19 BR25-0869/November10, 2025/PFA 20 G36-035 21