Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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Questions raised over Subdivision Bill By Inderia Saunders ~ Guardian Business Reporter ~ inderia@nasguard.com: Local realtors may receive support on the pending Planning and Subdivision Bill from an unlikely group: Accountants, with an outline of its details raising many eyebrows during a briefing session. It has everything to do with new zoning laws that are being proposed in the bill and the effect they may have on residents and businessmen alike. "Where you have a building being used for whatever purpose that now offends the zones... that use may continue provided there is no change in that use," said Sharlyn Smith of Sharon Wilson and Co. "If the use is discontinued, it shall not be recommenced and any further use of land shall conform with zoning. "The goal is to create proper zoning...and in the course of that some people may find themselves disenfranchised or property may lose money." It's a revelation that had many pouring on the questions, with Smith confirming that the new rules would apply even in the event that someone retires and the business is to be taken over by somebody else. "If that building is discontinued or destroyed by fire or hurricane. . . then that use will no longer continue," she added. "You're not going to be able to sell it for that use to continue if it offends the zone." The act seeks to improve the structure and administration of the Town Planning Committee and the Department of Physical Planning. Among other things, it would create more stringent guidelines for road creation and town planning and would require developers to have an environmental impact assessment (EIA) done before a development is brought before a special committee for approval. The Bahamas Real Estate Agency wants government to consider several of the association's recommendations for the Planning and Subdivisions Bill, arguing land prices will escalate by 10 percent if they weren't.
Friday February 05, 2010 |
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