Mac introduces PADs
(CNS): Although the passing of the amendments to the Development and Planning Law and the new regulations have caused some controversy, government, opposition and the independent member agree that a lot of the law is positive and will modernise the country’s future development, remove red tape and improve enforcement of regulations. It also introduces a new type of development that government says will facilitate modern, mixed use, urban projects. Delivering the amendments in the Legislative Assembly last week, the premier, who has responsibility for development and planning, announced the creation of planned area developments, or PADs, under section 6 of the law. (Photo by Dennie Warren JR)
“My government’s amendments to the law will enable and facilitate public-private fostering of worldwide trends in planning and urban design and to allow the proper regulation of the larger developments,” Bush explained. “Planned Area Developments, PADs, are larger master-planned, mixed use developments with a minimum of 40 acres of land and at least three different land uses that, subject to regulations regarding application requirements, will help ensure that large developments employ sound principles of effective and efficient land-use planning.”
The goal, the premier said, was to ensure that the larger developments become more transparent to the Central Planning Authority and the country and that they are developed in such a way to minimize their impacts on the surrounding infrastructure and neighbours. “PADs legislation is now needed to deal with the larger, mixed use developments that we are seeing coming to our islands,” Bush stated.
Planned area developments, also referred to in some jurisdictions as ‘planned unit developments’, have been proposed by the Planning Department for many years, and Bush said he was proud to have finally brought this concept to the House for inclusion in the planning regulations. “Many countries have moved to allow planned area developments, which provide a more completely designed and sustainable style of development,” the country’s premier told the Legislative Assembly.
Bush said these developments would be required to cover a minimum 40 acres of land or a group of contiguous parcels, have three different land uses proposed for close interaction, provision of up to 5 percent land for open space to serve the development, an internal circulation network that minimizes conflicts with existing public roads, and have the necessary infrastructure and services that will minimize the impact on the islands’ existing infrastructure.
PADS are also restricted from being dangerous, obnoxious, toxic or cause offensive odours or conditions or create a nuisance or annoyance to adjacent properties, as well as complying with all applicable regulations regarding fire, health and public safety. The premier said they will be permitted in all areas, except industrial, public open space and mangrove buffer zones.
Developers of PADs will be required to submit a ‘development statement’ to set out to the CPA the development parameters, including appropriate plans to explain the proposed development and its overall design, infrastructure impact, proposed land use, covering everything from parking lots and street furniture to sewage disposal systems and telecommunication facilities, as well as the timeframe for the project.
This will ensure that future PADS will be more transparent to the wider public from inception and the developments will be monitored in accordance with their submitted statements.
“If the CPA approves a planned area development, the authority shall require a copy of the approved master plan, together with the approved planning statement, to be lodged with the director of planning, who shall keep a register of all approved planned area developments,” Bush said.
The premier revealed that the fee for such developments would be $500 per acre, but this would be merely for the review of the PAD application. He said regular planning, building control and infrastructure fees would still apply on application for specific buildings within the planned area development.
Category: Headline News
So, will this be applied to the Shetty Hospital medical city?
could be….better than not knowing what they plan to do by just single building applications! PAD will force them to reveal the masterplan before anything is built. This could be the start of better planning in our island.
Three more years of Mac and we will all be in PAD’s. I think Depends is the brand name.
More laws, more fines, more fees, more duties…
What is so wrong with tax that is fair and non-harming to the banking industry, and will umbrella all of these fines, fees, and duties, and spare us from the many headaches we are having now???
People, at least, if we have a sustainable revenue measure in place, we can use it to socially help locals and develop a better health care system in the Cayman Islands
just a thought
Let’s get properly organized and do more than threaten or warn. Let’s make provision for another option and move from these two entities that have falied us.
Stay posted formy proposal.
I will stay tuned. How will we know when it’s you though? Everyone on this site has the same name, so I need you to give us a special sign so that we’ll know when it’s you.
I understand that you are skeptical of promises. But you will know me when you "see" me.
Stay in the "environment" (politics). You may not necessarily like all the principles I will expound but no one (you or I) is perfect.
“My government’s amendments to the law….."
That is the problem McKeewa!!!!! It is not YOUR government!!!!!
I didn’t vote for Mckeeva, i don’t live in west bay. There was some things that he did that should not have been done. But if i was in his position i don’t know what else would help maintain gov’t employees salaries and the social welfare that a lot of people are demanding. You can’t have everything you want. The people of this country need to lead but none have signed there name to there complaints. Instead of adding to the problem why don’t you young intelligent people start by giving solutions. You don’t want development but you want to build a house. Which Development do you plan on building you’re house on. I see very little poor man houses being built. Why don’t you buy some swamp land that’s the cheapest property on this island get a construction company together and build some houses for the poor. Time well spent right? Small profit but all the poor people will love you. You could be the next frank hall development. Make sure i don’t have to pay an elect. bill i want solar powered panels. It will pay off in 4 years. By the way can you guarantee the loan or can i just pay you. Sometimes i won’t be able to pay cause I’m in the tourist business six months are slow. Can you help? I’m too old for a pension to really help. Back in the old days when you couldn’t afford things you just didn’t try to buy them. When we were going to build our house our family helped us. Today mom and dad gives money or signs the loan for everything jr. wants . Thank god that some moms and dads teach their children by saying no. They may hate you but in the long run you will have created a person with responsibility and a person who can achieve what they need to do to be successful. Back in the good old days only people around you had anything to say what you could do with YOUR land!!
You make some great points, Caymanians have become too acustomed to handouts…..
Hey Dave,would have replied sooner but i was on d phone with Mickey Mouse for hours,havin trouble with my watch,darn ting isn’t swiss made.Well Mickey is sustainably irrate about his name being called in government matters by Mic-Key-Whaw-itisyuwhannow.It’s hard to take him serious if yu know his voice,but none the less he may send his head of PR Yosamidysam to hav a word wid Mic-Key-Whaw-itisyuwhannow.Lastly Mickey spoke regardin the resident sweepstakes & taller buildings,he said that the sweepstakes gee away was inherently suggestive & in his words”blasted flagrant”& feels that such things should be earned, & besides he could buy a whole island for 25million.On buildings he said the size of his head doesn’t incline him to elevators & “lord if there was a fire”,he said the whole point of island living was to escape his Metro accomodations.But on a more,very serious note yur right the suffering & economically mastered vices we face now is NO joke,which most know does not hav to be.Greed & kannstantoseenobodywidnuttin,thats why we have so many hurdles,yu notice erry time ya ton round?Where does all the money go? 355million fr this source 484million fr that source,fees,licensing,ship & yacht registry(no figure)customs 50million+& rising year to year,developers finance their own projects,donkey ages that more than 2 schools hav been built in a 15 year period,Triple c is private.Obviously it doesn’t go to us,the way it should,who’s a harder worker din a Caymanian?Who? They marvel at us in how we make it look easy,yet Caymanians are the majority in HMP,a by product of oppression,acute censorship,special greed & down right skillful wickedness.When yu hav money in a system that requiers it yur im-powered,more likely to be comfortable & reflects instantly on yu,yur people & yur country.For those who gross monies in figures yu would not know,yu see why it’s necessary & conveinent that Caymanians are the ones who struggle the most in their own country.In the old days that yu spoke of there was unity & as COL went up so did salaries,not so today,so we’ve become if yu will economicly divided,with little time as before,tryin to survive.The love is still there with most though because of descent,Caymanians are relentless achievers,who naturally have become better with time & it shows,ever notice how when we gettin sum lil way a hurdle pops up?Thats Brotha Nancy,he is best at the game he plays.At just the right time he will say all those wonderful things that comfort yu as a Caymanian,then when it’s time for yu to play the fool,what a hogscore.We give lots of suggestion’s to people that feel we dont exist,so yu see why it goes nowhere.Nelson Mandela is who i’ll be contactin in bit & if Coffee (Kofi)want a two cents,well? It’s not in my nature to allow wicked entities to run s…all over me & my people.Keep jr in-line & give him the tools to stay out of trouble & to be a man,which is being strict about workin towards what yu want,help save the land that is left so,none have to worry abt somewhere to build.All the best stay strong,think young but wise. signed Bow Line
Bow Line: I love your style and dialect! The punctuation errors and run-on sentences in this written piece would be so successful as a stage monologue. The style imparts a more vivid image than "The |Queen’s English". You are another Louise Bennett.
Re: The content: You give real insight into the view of the ordinary guy.
It would make easier reading, however, if your different sub-topics were placed as new paragraphs. With dramatic timing, the reader needs a space to process the last concept.
Really appreciated!
Re:Ms Bennet Fr: Bow Line Thanks,she’s a role model of mine & a natural actress.Re: Club Paradise starring Robin Williams.Yu need a handel.How about Monologue?Yur assessment commentary beacons that yur impressively well read.
Oh..you mean projects…
THOSE OF YOU WHO AGREE TO DEMAND GOV. TAYLOR TO DESOLVE THE L.A. PLEASE STAND UP AND BE COUNTED
ONE MAN CAN DO IT ALL- McKeeva is proof of this he is single handedly destroying this Country, dont let our Beloved Cayman be taken away by this MAN.
WE THE PEOPLE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
I’m with you Ex on this 100…….I only wish we had a few more Bayas like us that can’t be bought. Cause you know if a man can buy you he can sure sell you too. COME ON CAYMAN LETS DO SOMTHING FOR THE COUNTRY THAT HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR US…………It’s obvious "EVERYONE" else wants and loves Cayman SO LET’S SHOW THEM HOW MUCH WE LOVE HER TOO. Ready when you are?
Thanks,
I held a small glimmer of hope for McKeeva after learning he had into the house of God, but sourly disappointed to know that he too has become a "Judus", and we all know how he sold Jesus to the Romans for a mere 14 pieces of silver, XXXXX…..
I hope more people will stand up and help push this effort for our time is so short, we need to start soon as possible because the Referendum for the "GAMBLING" is quickly approaching and this is the time to push the Petition thru to change the Purpose of the Referendum from GAMBLING to GENERAL ELECTIONS to do away with both these XXXXX UDP & PPM in the Petition we also need to state that no more Political Party Systems can be formed in the Cayman Islands General Elections.
As we have all seen the Party System has only destroyed our Country, we the Caymanian (not by paper either or McKeevas’ magic wand) people have the ability to take our Country back, this is all we have for our children and i for one am not going to sit on my porch and grumble and complain we have to take a stand for our children, elders, and future caymanian generations to come.
Apparently these XXXXX don’t plan to be around for much longer or they think they will sit high and mighty forever and crush the life from each of us.
A correction here…..McKeeva is not single handedly destroying this Country – he can only do what he is doing with the help of his MLA croonies in Parliament, ie:
Rolston ‘biggest disappointment of them all’ Anglin)
Cline ‘No. 1 puppet’ Glidden
Eugene ‘he still there right?’ Ebanks
Mike ‘second biggest disappointment of them all’ Adams
Elio ‘wannabe Premier’ Solomon
Mark ‘third biggest disappointment of them all’ Scotland
Dwayne ‘who ya say?’ Seymour.
They all must be held accountable!!
Hmmm, I wonder if Burns Connolly is jumping for joy over this one….good bye environment, hello suburbia.
I am jumping for joy over this one and proud to have spearheaded that from our Committee approval stage into law. In fact, you should also be jumping for joy for PAD. This does not necessarily create “suburbia” as you state and it certainly does not get rid of the environment- may in fact be better planning for the environment. What the PAD legislation does for once is allow the CPA and Caymanians to know (and control) what the ultimate build out is for large developments. That could not be done under the past law.
PAD will require PROPER, SUSTAINABLE planning for an entire development not just building by building as it was. Before the changes, even in large developments such as Camana Bay and Dragon Bay, the CPA had no real mechanism in law to ask the developer what the master plan was. They only shared it with them out of courtesy. The CPA had no way of knowing what was going to happen next until they saw the next application.
Now as a PAD, the CPA can require that the masterplan be first approved,in accordance to proper urban principles, including taking into account the public spaces and parks, environmental issues, impact on neighbouring lands,character of architecture, infrastructure, sustainable design, culture, roads, phasing of build out, etc, etc. The CPA can now allow the developer to have the same amount of development under law without clearing the entire site by restricting the use of more environmentally sensitive areas of the site or habitats. This could be a big step forward in saving sensitive habitats without reducing the developer’s potential rights.
In addition, The CPA may approve the PAD request or simply turn it down. PAD is only available to Developers who plan to have 3 or more types of uses (zones) within the development, in close proximity, on at least 40 acres–say residential, commercial, institutional OR residential, agricultural and commercial,…any three. The Law was drafted to ensure it was not easy to just get a PAD designation. Even after PAD is approved, each of the buildings within it must still seek Planning permission and Building Control permission. So PAD is actually one more layer of Planning than was required before Monday.
So the PAD legislation is a great step forward in allowing the CPA and those with interest(the public) to understand how the larger developers plan to develop their entire property, know how that development will impact the country and its neighbours and allows the CPA to control that development way into the future. One technical item, it is unlikely that you will see a PAD request in an existing Hotel/Tourism zone as the PAD has a lower height allowance than in that zone.
PAD, Planned Area Developments, or as is better known internationally as PUD, has been used around the world for the last 50-60 years and has been used for proper long range planning. Its implementation has been supported by the CI Planning Department for more than 10 years now but has never made it to Law. Hope that helps clear up the misconception that PAD allows unabated use of land for buildings only or that it is bad planning concept for Cayman.
see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_Unit_Development
Where is the petition?? Where do I sign?
Great point about PADS.You see no more just a parcel grab here & there,its 40acres now.XXXX .Ever notice after every controversial scheme there’s a trip right after?I’m not sure Ex Caymanian why yu said November,but it should be sooner.
I stated November because McKeeva has already budgeted for the Gambling referendum/VOTING so instead of letting him waste OUR money on what HE wants, we will use it for what WE WANT, a NEW ELECTION, if he can "out of the blue" announce that he will LET the people decide about the GAMBLING we will change the PURPOSE of the REFERENDUM to what we REALLY NEED which is for a NEW ELECTION to take place, all constituents will be required to go to polling stations just as it is in a GENERAL ELECTION so since this is already the case we make for what we want. Get it! We need to find out how to have the purpose changed to a GENERAL ELECTION…anyone know how this can be done?
Sorry Ex,i was pondering each phase of yur idea. I’am wonderous about “he will let”.For me it’s not a matter of he will let.Considering the people’s right to a necessary Referendum on any matter which adversely affects them.A general election is musing,but, a more substantial remedy would be to hav in future elections,during the voting process,the list of candiates with a selection section as to who the people would choose to be the premier,obviously by the amount of votes going to any one candidate.This way regardless of who wins the premier was chosen by the majority.Special thanks for all the tenacious commentary,keep up the good yu do & being a voice for many that are beleaguered.Failure is not an option.How else can the Reniassance begin.
What a joke you are….
Ex Caymanian(not) by choice you and many others really really don’t get it do you, dissolve parliament. That would mean them and their cronies won’t get paid, That will never happen certainly not in our life time. These manifestations of ourgovernment are all their doing and if you like many think that such things as XXXXX and mismanagement is not allowed if its suits their Economic & political interest you had better think again. The fact is we have allowed it, we now carry the burden and the blame and as one poster said our sense of entitlement has gotten the better of us, but the question we need to ask ourselves who and where did it come ? Certainly not from our forefathers and their foreign partners they work damn hard to bring this place into fruition. We are in turn are allowing people to come in here and intimidate and extort and steal our way of life from us. The Excellent folks that have come and assimilated and contributed who are quality people are being sidelined and disrespected by a whole pile of despicable greedy newcomers. We are now reduced to whinning and complaining about it right where they want us.