St. John Tradewinds News received phone calls on Wednesday, October 18, from some residents of Chocolate Hole concerned about a landscaping crew removing brush along the beach at Chocolate Hole.
However, Legacy Development, the owner of the partially completed condominium complex that has been known as the Pond Bay Club, is in compliance with permits, according to David Rosa, special projects coordinator for the Department of Planning and Natural Resources’ Division of Coastal Zone Management.
“They do have permission to do some removal of dead vegetation and debris, as well as some live vegetation like tan-tan and casha,” said Rosa.
“Not much is going on,” said Kevyn Salsburg, president of the Estate Chocolate Hole Landowners Association (ECHLA).
“All they have done so far is clean up around the beach and put up some silt fencing, which I think is a good thing. We worked with them to get a [wrecked] sailboat off the beach that had been there for about 15 years.”
Salsburg speculated that Legacy Development “is trying to get in a position to apply for permits.”
Members of ECHLA have been working with Legacy on their plans, according to Salzburg. “They’ve been very open. I haven’t seen the most recent plans, but the last time I saw them they were good in terms of lower density. We’re most concerned with plans for water and sewage,” she said.
