Though it wasn’t mentioned publicly during last week’s community meeting about the future of Josiahs Bay, a hotel development near the beach has been in the works for at least two years.
A public records request revealed plans for a 28-room beach hotel that was “approved in principle” on April 1, 2014. Densie “Big D” Lettsome, who owns a beach bar at Josiahs, was the applicant on file.
However, on Saturday Mr. Lettsome said the development is now a 52-room project, which he plans to build in the area on and around his beach bar. For a size comparison, the Treasure Island Hotel in Road Town has 65 rooms.
The larger project has not been approved in principle, but if Mr. Lettsome completes an environmental impact assessment for the 52-room hotel, it could still be approved, said Greg Adams, chief planner in the Town and Country Planning Department.
The larger version, however, would be subject to a more stringent review process, Mr. Adams said.
Approval in principle does not permit any development until certain safety, environmental, legal and architectural issues are addressed and resolved.
One of the requirements included in the 2014 approval-in-principle document was raising the ground floor a minimum of 18 inches from the original grade level, to account for potential issues like storms, erosion and flooding.
The document also stated that part of the existing building is on Crown land, and permission from the Crown is necessary before expanding.
From a planning perspective, Mr. Adams said, another access road into Josiahs Bay would be better for the area and for the project, but it would probably not be necessary in order for the development to proceed.
Mr. Lettsome added that there is not a clear-cut timetable for the current project, however.
“The timeline is the money,” he said.
Project investors have been trying to purchase the beachside property, Mr. Lettsome added, but he is not interested in selling.
“What will be left for my children?” he asked.
Josiahs Bay’s future discussed at meeting
Josiahs Bay needs an alternate route to the beach, as well as a viable solution to the stench from its salt pond, residents said while airing various concerns during a community meeting on March 23.
The primary goal of the session, which was hosted by the Town and Country Planning Department, was to work with residents to develop a plan for the area, TCP officials said.
“This is our attempt to make sure that whatever we come up with is a community plan,” Chief Planner Greg Adams told about 75 attendees. “It has to be your ideas merged with ours.”
The evening meeting — which was similar to one hosted last May — began with a quick slideshow presentation about the opportunities and constraints of the landscape in Josiahs Bay.
Mr. Adams then asked attendees to gather around poster-sized aerial photographs of different parts of the area, including the beach, pond and roadways.
TCP representatives distributed coloured pencils and encouraged residents to write and draw their ideas on the images.
Brainstorming
After roughly 45 minutes of discussion and drawing, attendees took a seat and Deputy Chief Planner Dylan Penn talked through the different ideas scribbled on the photos.
They included development buffer zones near the beach and around the pond to preserve the environment; boardwalks around and connecting both areas; and some soft developments like informational signs, gift shops and cottages.
Many of the ideas seemed to centre around preserving nature while developing Josiahs Bay as an ecological and historical tourist area, Mr. Penn said.
Both the attendees and Mr. Penn discussed the possibility of connecting one of Josiahs Bay’s smaller roads to Ridge Road to provide the area with an additional entrance and exit point.
“In any plan for Josiahs Bay, there needs to be the development of an alternative access into Josiahs Bay,” Mr. Penn said.
Salt pond
A large portion of the discussion revolved around the pond, which Mr. Penn referred to as one of the most important aspects of the area.
Collingston George, a lifelong resident of Josiahs Bay, said the pond smelled worse in 2015 than in any other year of his life. This was because government closed the mouths of the pond, he said.
“Until government backtracks their mistake and goes back to open up the mouth of the pond and also opens up the other mouth so the ground sea can get into the pond to flush it when the sea is out, we’re going to have an ongoing stench,” Mr. George said.
The audience applauded after he gave his complaint.
Overall, Mr. George said he was pleased with the meeting.
“It has us thinking with how we can best apply ourselves to make Josiahs Bay better,” he said.
Mr. Adams concluded the evening by encouraging citizens to hold government accountable.
“Please be assured that everything that was said, done, drawn or sketched tonight we will be taking into account,” he said. “If we have not adequately addressed your concerns, hold our feet to the fire.”
The TCPD drafted a similar development plan for Carrot Bay in 2011.
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