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Law Offices of JENNIFER JONES 9003 Upper Havensight Mall Suite 319 St. Thomas, USVI 00802 Telephone (340) 779-7386 November 1, 2024 Facsimile (340) 714-5080 E-Mail: jjones@vienvironmentallaw.com www.vienvironmentllaw.com VIA HAND DELIVERY Honorable Novelle E. Francis, Jr. President Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Virgin Islands Capitol Building P.O. Box 1690 St. Thomas, V.I. 00804 Re: Request of Zoning Amendment of No. 19-1-2-4 Estate Smith Bay, St. Thomas; Owners: Najocki Boyd and Kit-Alia Freemen; Agent/Attorney-in-Fact: Jennifer Jones, Esq. Dear Senate President Francis: This firm represents Mr. Najocki Boyd (“Mr. Boyd”) and hereby formally petitions the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, pursuant to Section 238(b) of the Virgin Islands Code, for a zoning change of the following described real property from its current designation of R-1 Residential to B-3 Business—Scattered, with a variance for warehouse and storage services: Parcel No. 19-1-2-4 Estate Smith Bay Nos. 1, 2, & 3 East End Quarter St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, consisting of 1.022 U.S. acres, more or less as shown on O.L.G. No. D9-8277-T009 (“the Property”) Mr. Boyd and Kit-Alia Freeman are the owners of the Property, a one-acre parcel formerly part of a larger tract of land in Estate Smith Bay that has been in the Lindqvist family for several decades. At all times, the original tract was held in private ownership and remained undeveloped. In 2018, Mr. Boyd along with Kit-Alia Freeman purchased the Property from L. Mark Lindqvist for the purpose of creating a mixed residential and commercial complex. The Property is currently zoned R-1 Residential—Low Density and lies east of the Smith Bay Eastern Cemetery. It is surrounded almost entirely by vacant land, and adjoins property used as a horse ranch. Parcel No. 19-1-2-8 Estate Smith Bay, which is separated from the Property by an estate road was recently rezoned from A-2 to B-3. The future development for that property will include mixed use residential and commercial uses. Honorable Novelle E. Francis, Jr., President Virgin Islands Legislature November 1, 2024 Request for Zoning Amendment 19-1-2-4 Estate Smith Bay, St. Thomas The requested zoning change and variance will facilitate the development of a multi-use property that includes a residential complex, a daycare center, commercial/business offices, mailbox rentals, and warehouse and storage unit rentals. The proposed project aims to offer a combination of essential community services while maintaining compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood. Below are the details of the uses and reasons for this zoning request: 1. Residential Complex: The property will feature a residential complex, with one, two and three-bedroom apartments to accommodate multiple sized families for long-term quality housing options and meet the growing demand for residential units in the Smith Bay area. A small percentage of short-term rentals may be provided as well. 2. Nursery School (Children’s Day Care): A daycare center is proposed to serve families in the project area as well as the surrounding area. It will offer a safe and convenient place for children during work hours. The location is ideal, as it is within proximity to residential areas and would provide a much-needed service to working parents. 3. General offices: The future development will include services such as a management/leasing office to mainly support the operations of the complex. Other businesses opportunities will be made available including a small commercial laundry for use by tenants and area residents and a mailbox rental business offering secured mailboxes for rental to individuals and businesses. 4. Warehouse and Storage Use: Development will include a warehouse/storage area for long-term storage needs of individuals and businesses. The storage will be discreetly located and designed to minimize visual impact on the surrounding neighborhood. A variance will be necessary for this use which is not provided in the B-3 zoning designation. It is, however, provided in the C-Commercial designation which allows uses similar to B- 3. The only other use of the surrounding parcels is scattered residential with commercial activity including one bar/restaurant, a gym and a hardware store. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is also part of the commercial activity of the area. We believe that the proposed development will not only be a positive addition to the area but also contribute to the local economy by creating jobs and providing valuable services. We have considered the surrounding land uses and have designed the development to be consistent with the character of the area. We are confident that the B-3 Business Zoning designation is appropriate for this site due to its proximity to other commercial and residential uses. In support of this application, we have attached a site plan, as well as additional documentation outlining the scope of the proposed development, including the requested variance for warehousing and storage. Honorable Novelle E. Francis, Jr., President Virgin Islands Legislature November |, 2024 Request for Zoning Amendment 19-1-2-4 Estate Smith Bay, St. Thomas We would appreciate your favorable consideration of this request and would be happy to attend any meetings or provide further information as needed. Thank you for your time and consideration. cc: Leia LaPlace-Matthew, Director of CCZP