Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
DPNR outlines implementation push for comprehensive land and water use plan; announces large parkland acquisitions
Summary
The Department of Planning and Natural Resources told a legislative committee it is shifting from adoption to implementation of the Comprehensive Land and Water Use Plan, with zoning and Coastal Zone Management code amendments planned for public comment in January 2026 and new parkland acquisitions underway.
Jean Pierre Oriel, commissioner of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR), told the Committee on Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure and Planning that the department is moving from plan adoption to implementation of the territory’s Comprehensive Land and Water Use Plan.
Oriel told senators the department has finalized two professional‑services contracts to review and amend the zoning code (Title 29, chapter 3) and the Virgin Islands Coastal Zone Management Act (Title 12, chapter 21). He said DPNR expects to release proposed amendments for public comment in January 2026. "We are estimating that some of these amendments will be shared for public comment early in January in the January 2026 time frame," he said.
The commissioner highlighted several immediate implementation items: expanding the territorial park system through property…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
