“We have a lot of businesses around here that set up in the wrong places – zoning,” Smith said recently while legislators were debating the now-passed Business Licensing Act in the House of Assembly (HOA).

Smith further suggested that the Town and Country Planning Department may have to become associated with the new legislation in some way in order for proper change to be effected.

“We cannot afford to be having businesses set up shop in any area and everywhere. It is wrong,” Smith stated.

“There are a lot of times that I’m seeing certain businesses set up in zone areas that should not be. We have to start zoning so we know exactly where businesses should be and should not be,” he added.

According to Smith, it is wrong to see a garage shop set up in front of the House of Assembly.

“These are the kinds of things that we are seeing that we cannot encourage and we need to stop and all of that is part of doing business,” the legislator said.

Microscopic planning

Previously, Chief Planner Gregory Adams said his Town and Country Planning Department examined building plans in a very “microscopic” way instead of using a ‘global perspective’.

Adams noted at the time that it was now opportune to have relevant plans in place to guide how developments take place in the BVI over the next 20 years.

“I would say that it is better by far to think about it [now] and suggest what we want to become, than to let it happen and wonder how it happened,” Adams said.