[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6198449,"mediaKeyId","3846843-6652a7c84a5e1e2bdd79630c3384762f","parentId",3846843,"title","Senate committee holds bill that would let owners seek return of unused eminent‑domain land after 25 years","audioSeconds",10975,"startMs",416000,"endMs",11391000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3846843-6652a7c84a5e1e2bdd79630c3384762f&start=416&end=11391","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3846843-6652a7c84a5e1e2bdd79630c3384762f/thumbnail_416000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6198449/Senate-committee-holds-bill-that-would-let-owners-seek-return-of-unused-eminentdomain-land-after-25-years","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6198449-2dffb33515dccd023d5966a93e16f39e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430740&Signature=H5rSWY995gmEpMBTlEM8oR3yZfV2lxGSUrOFwCNIWwiLyIEDMDJobWDDHNuyknVsc-Y6L2ztMKsF-KqizInrHhPTycJI1J2RK-UqHZ72lJbPyTtfE877c9mUyn40qZRghcDV8Wow5JpnqMLgdNIh~u83~jpPCqhZOlbb8U2gSa2Uxexl-xquayXJbGYtnGMKLcrzPvxcsCaph9XYZI-H8xgy9JpHuXeAU3F~-5iLB0vFE-nLBc1~Z2-ylgvhNdTTasPt1goAAQDLQ9~uYIMIeKy4ZWttC2sfGbzRXQofQwd5F0Ys6R~hm3nsZQGpR1DNoDcuybxJtI2-AoJXeyWbsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Legislature USVI","date","2025-06-16T00:00:00Z","article","A legislative committee held Bill 36‑0070 — a proposal that would let former owners petition to reclaim land taken by eminent domain if it is not used for its intended public purpose within 25 years — after a wide‑ranging hearing and a 7‑0 roll call. The motion to hold the bill in committee at the call of the chair passed by roll call vote.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Alma Francis Heiliger, would add a new section to Title 28 of the Virgin Islands Code to allow “the property owner, or the heirs and successors” to petition a court for return of land when the government has not put the parcel to the public use stated at acquisition. “If a property is taken by eminent domain for a specific purpose and it is 10 years, 20 years, 25 years had passed, and nothing has been done with that property, … the property owner, or the heirs and successors can go ahead and petition our courts for that property to be returned to them,” Senator Alma Francis Heiliger said during the hearing.

Why it matters: lawmakers and several executive agencies described the bill as an accountability measure that would protect private owners from long periods in which the government holds land without visible development. Opponents — primarily the Department of Property and Procurement and the Department of Planning and Natural Resources — said the fixed 25‑year deadline could hobble long‑range infrastructure, prompt litigation over what counts as “use,” and leave the territory paying less than market value if title reverts.

Commissioner Lisa Maria Alejandro of the Department of Property and Procurement told the committee the agency recognizes eminent domain’s role but warned the measure could “undermine long term projects and create unnecessary pressure on agencies to rush development in order to avoid potential reversion claims.” Alejandro said major capital projects commonly face delays from permitting, funding and federal reviews; she urged clearer definitions for “public use” and for objective markers of progress rather than a single time‑based trigger.

Assistant Commissioner Josette J. Walker of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources urged flexibility to allow repurposing for alternate public uses, and recommended procedural safeguards including a “repurposing clause” and regular public reporting on eminent‑domain parcels. “A fixed 25 year window for public use, even with a reversion clause, could inadvertently stall infrastructure pipelines or result in rushed suboptimal development,” Walker said.

Legal counsel and multiple senators pressed for clarity about what constitutes a failure to use: is planning and permitting work enough, or must there be visible construction? Attorney Magdalene A. Maransi, identified in testimony as legal counsel to the Department of Property and Procurement, said the bill does not presently define “failure to put the property to the intended purpose,” and suggested the committee consider statutory definitions or examples that specify “lack of progress” and what steps (design, permits, contracts) count as meaningful progress.

The bill would also allow the Superior Court to grant reversion if a petitioner repays the original compensation paid by government, and it would bar the government from condemning the same property again for 10 years after a court grants reversion. Department witnesses said returning only the original compensation could create a public loss if the property’s market value has appreciated materially since condemnation.

Outcome and next steps: the committee voted to hold Bill 36‑0070 in committee at the call of the chair. The motion was moved by Senator Dwayne M. De Grama and seconded by Senator Anya L. Bocas Jr.; a roll call recorded seven yeas and zero nays. Sponsor Alma Francis Heiliger said she is open to amendments — including clearer definitions of “public use,” progress metrics, transparency requirements and a right‑of‑first‑refusal mechanism — and expects to return the bill for further committee work.

What the record shows: testimony and questioning focused on balancing private‑property rights with the government’s need for flexibility in long‑range infrastructure projects, and on building objective, auditable triggers (for example, defined planning milestones or public reporting requirements) so courts would have clearer standards if reversion petitions are filed.

The committee did not adopt language at the hearing; staff and agencies were asked to collaborate with the sponsor on possible statutory revisions before the bill returns to committee.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","06-16-2025 Committee on Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure and Planning (Copy)","oneSentenceSummary","A legislative committee held Bill 36‑0070 — which would let former owners seek return of land taken by eminent domain if unused for 25 years — after a full hearing in which agency witnesses warned the measure could create litigation and hamper long‑term infrastructure planning.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature, Virgin Islands","taxId",77876,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6198444,"Lieutenant Governor’s Street Addressing Initiative nears territorywide finish; St. John first in Caribbean with end‑to‑end system",1353,11599000,12952000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3846843-6652a7c84a5e1e2bdd79630c3384762f&start=11599&end=12952","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3846843-6652a7c84a5e1e2bdd79630c3384762f/thumbnail_11599000.jpg","/articles/6198444/Lieutenant-Governors-Street-Addressing-Initiative-nears-territorywide-finish-St-John-first-in-Caribbean-with-endtoend-system","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6198444-3b21cf017a1ca0015b5181e3922e2e26/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430740&Signature=afF4vQPz59NM2tupa1BOP-vDQ8~ZTVSzMFT5-VJHBQ3XOqPpJHi2KxnZWMllgE1HnLYm27~-SvGOj5k66Gw-CU3RCmyAZhjpE4fhzgM21PB1hMo4juoROmQ1RZ5c8MTBwj2J8gMgwEdBXYl8qaMrQpjT8luuxFlrfqUWbTV89Owx22iH8--kNxGlZ04FuJzF1tKUTc59iVEUlYvVq91Rzbquk0nVkK8~K~tWL377EJwhjjrp~AjXGN6ji2WzMjEDkvHgTpF3OlrmmWlq9b8UTk6b1DH5WKJyYa-Hadc6RzTIdZfeYMS515w9Met2IHhJ7a7EbLByMr8j6LCl0Q1FZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Office of the Lieutenant Governor told a legislative committee that the territory’s Street Addressing Initiative (SAI) is in its final, territorywide phase and that Saint John is the first Caribbean island with a fully functioning, end‑to‑end addressing system.

“St. John is now the first island in The Caribbean to have a fully functioning address system from end to end,” Christopher (Chris) George, administrator of the Geospatial Information Systems Division and SAI project manager, said during a committee briefing. The office said an active federal Community Development Block Grant administered through the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority funds the final phase.

Why it matters: a standardized street addressing system links street names and numeric addresses to parcels and GPS coordinates in a master address repository (MARS). Officials said the MARS will be ingested into the U.S. Department of Transportation’s national address database; once included, federal agencies and major mapping services use the territory’s authoritative data. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor told the committee that having addresses will improve emergency dispatch, postal and delivery services, utility planning, demographic data for the census and targeted grant making.

Project status and costs: the office reported three prior project phases (implementation plan, pilot and bridge). The final phase is funded by a $5.3 million CDBG award; the project has purchased a Trimble MX50 mobile mapping unit ($347,705) and reported a MARS infrastructure cost of $145,529.19 and a signage allocation of $2.3 million. The UVI partnership has already been paid more than $400,000 for fieldwork to date, the office said. The administrator said the addressing portion aims to be complete by January 2026, with signage fabrication and installation continuing into the spring following manufacturing timelines.

Public outreach and naming: project staff described a community road‑naming protocol that asks neighborhood associations or a majority of property owners on a road segment to agree to a name. The program will preserve local estate names (an important cultural convention in the territory) and will accept non‑English or locally used road types; officials said St. Thomas and St. Croix were at roughly 60–70% named road completion and St. John at 93% under the program. The office has run town halls, school visits, radio and social media outreach and plans a mass mailing of addresses to owners of record when the project is complete.

Integration and operations: the MARS will be maintained by the GIS division and integrated with emergency dispatch, utilities and postal operations via MOUs. Officials said the Mars is already structured to meet the Federal Geographic Data Committee and U.S. Department of Transportation addressing standards; the office has been working with major mapping engines and federal partners to get the territory’s data published. The administrator told senators the office will transfer responsibility for signage maintenance and replacement to the Department of Public Works once installation is complete.

Questions from lawmakers focused on long‑term maintenance, how to handle private roads, whether owners must consent to sign placement on private property (vendors will obtain sign placement approvals), and how to resolve streets with duplicate names across different estates by using estate identifiers in the address string. Several senators praised the project’s territorial scope and the use of local contractors and UVI student workers for field teams.

Next steps: SAI staff asked the committee for a proclamation recognizing the territory’s formal addressing system once the repository is accepted by the national database; they invited lawmakers to a Saint John signage groundbreaking and pledged to deliver a project closeout report to the committee. The office also requested interagency follow‑through so e 9‑1‑1, USPS, utilities and other users adopt the authoritative data into operational systems.","Office of the Lieutenant Governor reported progress on a territorywide street addressing project (SAI) funded largely with federal CDBG money; officials said the master address repository and field work are well advanced, with Saint John complete and St. Thomas and St. Croix in active field phases, and that signage purchases and installations are","actionData","errors"]

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Senate committee holds bill that would let owners seek return of unused eminent‑domain land after 25 years

Lieutenant Governor’s Street Addressing Initiative nears territorywide finish; St. John first in Caribbean with end‑to‑end system