Residents & stakeholders invited to town hall meetings in Simpson Bay & Cole Bay next week:

Regarding zoning/development plans

The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Development, Environment and Infrastructure (MinVROMI) will resume its public consultation process with respect to the drafting of "development plans" for country Sint Maarten.

 

A follow-up town hall meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 3 at the Sister Regina Primary School Gym, Simpson Bay from 7.00pm to 9.30pm. Residents and stakeholders of Simpson Bay, Airport area and Beacon Hill are invited to come to the meeting.

The follow-up meeting would allow the residents and stakeholders of the Simpson Bay community, Airport and Beacon Hill to review the outline for a development plan for the aforementioned areas.

The input of the community is considered paramount in this process and in order for the right choices to be made, the community has to have a say by giving their views with respect to the spatial national development of the country.

The drafting of the development plans will take approximately 24 months and the aforementioned plans will guide the future spatial development of the country where it relates to government and private land.

The second town hall meeting will be held on Thursday, September 6 at Carl’s Unique Inn Conference room, Cole Bay from 7.00pm to 9.30pm. This meeting is for residents and stakeholders of Cole Bay, Billy Folly and Cay Bay.

At the meeting, a presentation will be made about the process and the attendees will be able to provide their views and ideas with respect to the development of Cole Bay, Billy Folly and Cay Bay.

The Zoning Ordinance (EROP) prescribes that development plans are established regulating the development possibilities and land usage on the Dutch side of the island.

The planning process consists of the following steps for public participation and support for each of the plans:

The Government believes that the public and stakeholders must have a say in the preparation of the plans, and must also have the opportunity to (public) review and give comments on the draft plans before they are sent to Parliament for approval.