V.I. Code tit. 29, § 229 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 29 - Public Planning and Development|Chapter 3 - Virgin Islands Zoning and Subdivision Law|Subchapter I - Zoning Law|§ 229. Development provisions

 A-1 Agricultural Zone  (a) The Virgin Islands, at one time, produced a substantial amount of sugar. Today, the sugarcane fields lie fallow and for the most part unused. The Virgin Islands at one time produced beef for export. That situation no longer prevails. There is a small amount of truck farming on the northerly side of St. Thomas. Some beef cattle are raised on the Islands and there is some dairying. For the most part, however, potential agricultural lands are unused. They should be used to help provide food for the residents of the Islands and thus reduce the need for imports of food. To that end, the lands should be protected against incongruous uses. The zoning of potential agricultural lands, particularly on St. Croix, with a minimum requirement of forty (40) acres for each principal dwelling unit will assure that the lands will be maintained for their highest and best use. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the A-1 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. These include, but are not limited to, barns, storage sheds, and a secondary residence for an employee. One (1) roadside stand for the sale of agricultural products produced on the premises shall be permitted. Required parking areas  Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be used for A-1 Agricultural purposes shall have a minimum area of forty (40) acres. Permitted lot occupancy  Every parcel of land shall be occupied by not more than two (2) dwelling units. Front yard  Every structure in a A-1 District shall be set back a minimum distance of fifty (50) feet from the front property line. Side and rear yards  Every structure in a A-1 District shall provide minimum side and rear yards of not less than one hundred (100) feet from the property line. Maximum height limits  No residential structure shall exceed a height of three (3) stories.  A-2 Agricultural Zone  (b) There are limited areas which can best be used for agriculture on a scale smaller than forty acres. These truck farming areas, with a minimum area of two acres for each principal building, readily accessible to urban markets, will serve a useful purpose in providing fruits and vegetables locally, thus lessening the need for importing such products. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the A-2 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section of Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. These include but are not limited to, barns, storage sheds, and a secondary residence for an employee. One (1) roadside stand for the sale of agriculture products produced on the premises shall be permitted. Required parking areas  Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be used for A-2 Agricultural purposes shall have a minimum area of two (2) acres. Permitted lot occupancy  Every parcel of land shall be occupied by not more than two (2) dwelling units. Front yard  Every structure in a A-2 District shall be set back a minimum distance of twenty-five (25) feet from the front property line. Side and rear yards  Every structure in a A-2 District shall provide minimum side and rear yards of not less than fifty (50) feet from the property line. Maximum height limits  No residential structure shall exceed a height of three (3) stories.  R-1 Residential—Low density  (c) Much of the land in the Virgin Islands is hilly or mountainous with steep slopes and a minimum amount of soil over a rocky subsurface. These areas are being used for residential purposes, with sewage disposal by means of septic tanks. The minimum lot area for such use should be one-half (½) acre, and even this minimum is questionable with respect to adequate disposal of sewage without surfacing of effluent to disturb one's neighbor. Fortunately, there is no conflict with wells that supply drinking water. These zones should be carefully located in relation to subdivision regulations. Use permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the R-1 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking areas  Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Permitted density  Every zoning lot shall be occupied by not more than two (2) dwelling units. Permitted lot occupancy  All principal residential structures shall occupy not more than a total of twenty-five (25) percent of the area of the zoning lot. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be utilized in the R-1 District shall have a minimum lot area of one-half (½) acre. Lot width  Every lot shall have a minimum lot width at the street line of one hundred (100) feet. Front yard  Every structure in a R-1 District shall be set back a minimum distance of fifteen (15) feet from the front property line. Side and rear yards  Every structure in a R-1 District shall provide minimum side and rear yards of not less than fifteen (15) feet from the property line. Maximum height limit  No residential structure shall exceed a height of two (2) stories.  R-2 Residential—Low density one- and two-family  (d) Much of the so-called residential property in the Virgin Islands is presently zoned R-10, in theory requiring a minimum lot area of 10,000 square feet. Because that pattern has already been established, the R-2 Residential areas will maintain the same minimum lot requirements. Incongruous uses, such as business and industry, will not be permitted except that planned developments are allowed, provided the density pattern is retained. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the R-2 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking areas  Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Permitted density  Every zoning lot shall be occupied by not more than two (2) dwelling units. Permitted lot occupancy  All principal structures shall occupy not more than a total of thirty (30) percent of the area of the zoning lot. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be utilized for residential purposes in the R-2 District shall have a minimum lot area of ten thousand (10,000) square feet. Lot width  Every lot shall have a minimum lot width at the street line of seventy-five (75) feet. Front yard  Every structure in a R-2 District shall be set back in minimum distance of fifteen (15) feet from the property line. Side and rear yards  Every structure in a R-2 District shall provide minimum side and rear yards of not less than ten (10) feet from the property line. Maximum height limit  No residential structure shall exceed a height of two (2) stories.  R-3 Residential—Medium density  (e) Because the areas that are buildable in the Virgin Islands are limited to topography and availability of central sewer and water facilities and because of the estimated rise in population and because of the need of providing a considerable number of low cost or low rental housing units, higher densities must be permitted than will be found in single and two-family residential districts. At the same time, there must be a reasonable limitation of density because of the limited ability of the Islands to provide central public services, highways, transportation, parking, etc. Three categories for multi-family housing are being provided. The first limits the number of persons per acre to eighty (80). This makes it possible to develop land with a variety of multi-family units and not limit the number of dwellings per acre. The R-3 Residential zones will provide for medium density hotels and multi-family dwellings and their related needs. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the R-3 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted as set forth in section 233 of this subchapter. Required parking areas  Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Limitations on persons per acre  The maximum number of persons per acre for residential structures shall not exceed eighty (80) persons at the time of construction. Permitted lot occupancy  All principal residential structures shall occupy not more than a total of thirty (30) percent of the area of the zoning lot. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be utilized for residential purposes in the R-3 Residential District shall have a minimum lot area of six thousand (6,000) square feet. Usable open space  In addition to the requirements set forth herein for Permitted Lot Occupancy and for Off-Street Parking, thirty-five (35) percent of the area of the zoning lot shall be reserved for Usable Open Space. Maximum height limit  No residential structure shall exceed a height of six (6) stories.  R-4 Residential—Medium density  (f) Substantial areas of the Virgin Islands, particularly in the built-up urban sections, have been zoned for a theoretical minimum lot area of 3,000 square feet for residential purposes. In these areas the size of lots varies from 1,000 square feet to over 8,000 square feet. The lot area requirements have often been violated for residence purposes by exceptions; further intrusions have permitted nonresidential uses. The result has been a mixture of nonrelated uses in what was supposed to be residential areas of modest homes. Because the pattern of the 1,000 to over 8,000 square foot lots has been established, it is retained but kept for residential purposes. The R-4 Residential zones will limit the density to one hundred twenty (120) persons per acre. This makes it possible to develop areas for multiple family use within a range of low to medium densities. Areas which are no longer suitable for residences alone because of the intrusion of incongruous uses are suggested for different types of zoning. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the R-4 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking area  Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Limitations on persons per acre  The maximum number of persons per acre for residential structures shall not exceed one hundred twenty (120) persons at the time of construction. Permitted lot occupancy  All principal structures shall occupy not more than fifty (50) percent of the area of the zoning lot. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be utilized for residential purposes in the R-4 District shall have a minimum lot area of three thousand (3,000) square feet. Lot width  Every lot shall have a minimum lot width at the street line of not less than forty (40) feet. Maximum height limit  No residential structure shall exceed a height of three (3) stories.  R-5 Residential—High density  (g) Because of the nature of development in the Virgin Islands and their importance as a tourist center, hotels, apartment houses and other multi-family residential units will be required. While densities comparable to those to be found in our largest cities would make no sense in the Virgin Islands, areas must be established where high density structures are permitted as a matter of right and are not dependent upon the issuance of an exception. Such areas are shown upon the zoning maps. The R-5 Residential zones will limit the density to one hundred sixty (160) persons per acre. This will permit a greater variety in the number and type of dwelling units to be constructed than would be possible if limitations were based on the number of dwelling units. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the R-5 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted as set forth in section 233 of this subchapter. Required parking areas  Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Limitations on persons per acre  The maximum number of persons per acre for residential structures shall not exceed one hundred sixty (160) persons at the time of construction. Permitted lot occupancy  All principal residential structures shall occupy not more than a total of thirty (30) percent of the area of the zoning lot. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be utilized in the R-5 Residential District shall have a minimum lot area of ten thousand (10,000) square feet. Usable open space  In addition to the requirements set forth herein for Permitted Lot Occupancy and for Off-Street Parking, thirty-five (35) percent of the area of the zoning lot shall be reserved for Usable Open Space. Maximum height limit  No residential structure shall exceed a height of eight (8) stories.  B-1 Business—Central business district  (h) The central business districts of Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted and Frederiksted are devoted primarily to commercial enterprises serving the visitor and tourist. There are also hotels, professional offices and, in some instances, residences. In Charlotte Amalie, there are industrial uses which would appear not to be the highest and best use to which central business district properties could be put. These areas also represent the historical districts of the communities. Buildings have been traditionally limited in height. All three cities face the water and in all cases are used for some form of shipping. The B-1 District will maintain the historical and commercial character of the business centers of these cities and discourage incompatible uses. However, if these centers are to grow and prosper, they must be convenient to those wishing to use them. Therefore, adequate parking, presently lacking, must be provided.  Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the B-1 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking and loading areas  Off-street parking and off-street loading shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter; provided, however, that the Virgin Islands Historic Preservation Commission is authorized, in its discretion, to waive said parking and loading requirements in those portions of any central business district which are designated as historic and architectural control districts pursuant to the provisions of subchapter III of this chapter when, in the opinion of the Historic Preservation Commission, said waiver will not be contrary to the intents and purposes of this chapter. Floor area ratio  The maximum total Floor Area Ratio for all structures shall be two (2) for any zoning lot. Limitations on persons per acre  The maximum number of persons per acre for residential structures, or residential portions of structures, including hotels, shall not exceed one hundred sixty (160) persons. Permitted lot occupancy  There shall be no requirement for business structures. All principal residential structures, with their accessory structures, shall occupy not more than a total of forty (40) percent of the area of the zoning lot. Combined commercial and residential structures are permitted, provided the requirements for maximum Floor Area Ratio and maximum number of persons per acre are satisfied. The business portions of such structures are not limited in percent of lot occupancy but the residential portions of such structures shall occupy not more than a total of forty (40) percent of the area of the zoning lot and shall meet all other residential requirements. Required lot area  There shall be no requirement for business structures. Every parcel of property to be utilized for residential purposes in the B-1 District shall have a minimum lot area of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet. Maximum height limit  No requirement except within the historically certified areas the height of any structure shall not exceed three (3) stories. Usable open space  For all residential buildings, except hotels or for parts of buildings used for residential purposes, there shall be provided thirty (30) percent of the area of the zoning lot as Usable Open Space. B-2 Business—Secondary/neighborhood  (i) Most of the business activities in the three principal cities of the Islands will be found concentrated on a single street (Main Street in Charlotte Amalie) and in offshoots in the form of Plazas nearby (Charlotte Amalie and Christiansted). Immediately adjacent to these primary business areas, however, are shopping facilities for less intensive use which are classified as secondary. Scattered throughout the Islands are a number of small neighborhood business districts. In some instances they approach the style of a small shopping center. They are much more limited in the number of persons attracted to them and in the variety of goods sold there. On St. John, the single shopping center is limited in its scope and naturally in the demand made upon it by the limited population of the Islands. As the population of the Islands increases, there will be demand for additional neighborhood shopping centers consisting of a limited number of stores but none of which are expected to reach the scale of the primary shopping areas. These too, are classified as secondary and specific areas in the Islands are placed in that classification. Use permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the B-2 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking and loading areas  Off-street parking and off-street loading shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter; provided however, that the Virgin Islands Historic Preservation Commission is authorized, in its discretion, to waive said parking and loading requirements in those portions of any central business district which are designated as historic and architectural control districts pursuant to the provisions of subchapter III of this chapter when, in the opinion of the Historic Preservation Commission, said waiver will not be contrary to the intents and purposes of this chapter. Floor area ratio  The maximum total Floor Area Ratio for all structures shall be one (1) for any zoning lot. Limitations on persons per acre  The maximum number of persons per acre for residential structures, or residential portions of structures, including hotels, shall not exceed eighty (80) persons. Permitted lot occupancy  There shall be no requirement for business structures. All principal residential structures, with their accessory structures, shall occupy not more than a total of forty (40) percent of the area of the zoning lot. Combined commercial and residential structures are permitted, provided the requirements for maximum Floor Area Ratio and maximum number of persons per acre are satisfied. The business portions of such structures are not limited in percent of lot occupancy but the residential portions of such structures shall occupy not more than forty (40) percent of the area of the zoning lot and shall meet all other residential requirements. Required lot area  There shall be no requirement for business structures. Every parcel of property to be utilized for residential purposes in the B-2 District shall have a minimum lot area of five thousand (5,000) square feet. Maximum height limit  No requirement except that in any historically certified area the height of any structure shall not exceed three (3) stories. Usable open space  For all residential buildings, except hotels, or for parts of buildings used for residential purposes, there shall be provided thirty (30) percent of the area of the zoning lot as Usable Open Space.  B-3 Business—Scattered  (j) The pattern of development in the Virgin Islands has heretofore permitted single business establishments in residence districts. These stores are convenient, particularly in those areas occupied by low income families. In recognition of an existing pattern, a zoning district is established to legalize these establishments which might otherwise be nonconforming uses. Future development, however, should provide for convenience shopping on the basis of the comprehensive plan for the development of the Islands. Further provision is made for such convenience establishments on a planned basis in the B-4 Business—Residential Area Zone. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the B-3 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking and loading areas  Off-street parking and off-street loading shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Limitations on persons per acre  The maximum number of persons per acre for residential structures, or residential portions of structures shall not exceed one hundred twenty (120) persons. Permitted lot occupancy  All principal commercial and residential structures, with their accessory structures, shall occupy not more than a total of sixty (60) percent of the area of the zoning lot. Combined commercial and residential structures are permitted, provided the requirement for maximum number of persons per acre are satisfied. Such structures shall occupy not more than a total of sixty (60) percent of the area of the zoning lot. The residential portions of such structures shall meet all other residential requirements. Required lot area  There shall be no requirement for business structures. Every parcel of property to be utilized for residential purposes in the B-3 District shall have a minimum lot area of three thousand (3,000) square feet. Side yards  Every business structure in a B-3 District shall be separated from any adjacent residential structure and/or any property zoned for residential purposes by a minimum side yard on each side of the business structure of not less than five (5) feet. Rear yards  Every residential structure in a B-3 District shall provide a minimum rear yard of not less than five (5) feet from the property line. Every business structure in a B-3 District adjoining a residential structure and/or property zoned for residential purposes shall provide a minimum rear yard of at least ten (10) feet. Maximum height  No building shall exceed a height of two (2) stories, except that if used for residential purposes or combined commercial and residential structures shall not exceed a height of three (3) stories.  B-4 Business—Residential areas  (k) In order that convenience shopping facilities may be available in all parts of the Islands, a Business—Residential Area Zone is established to permit grocery stores and similar facilities on a planned basis in new residential areas. When integrated into the design of a residential area, such shopping facilities, small in scale, can benefit the residential area instead of detracting from such areas and lowering property values as has resulted in the past where such facilities have been established on a spot zone basis. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the B-4 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking and loading areas  Off-street parking and off-street loading shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Limitations on persons per acre  The maximum number of persons per acre for residential structures, or residential portions of structures shall not exceed eighty (80) persons. Permitted lot occupancy  All principal commercial and residential structures, with their accessory structures, shall occupy not more than a total of fifty (50) percent of the area of the zoning lot. Combined commercial and residential structures are permitted, provided the requirement for maximum number of persons per acre are satisfied. Such structures shall occupy not more than a total of fifty (50) percent of the zoning lot. Required lot area  There shall be no requirement for business structures. Every parcel of property to be utilized for residential purposes in the B-4 District shall have a minimum lot area of six thousand (6,000) square feet. Maximum lot area  No single structure in the B-4 District containing one or more business enterprises, shall occupy a lot exceeding ten thousand (10,000) square feet, except that in Planned Residential Areas, businesses may occupy not more than five (5) percent of the total area of the Planned Residential Area. Lot width  Every lot shall have a minimum width at the street line of not less than forty (40) feet. Side yards  Every residential structure in a B-4 District shall provide a minimum side yard on each side of the structure of not less than five (5) feet from the property line. Every business structure in a B-4 District shall be separated from any adjacent residential structure and/or property zoned for residential purposes by a minimum side yard on each side of the business structure of not less than five (5) feet. Rear yard  Every residential structure in a B-4 District shall provide a minimum rear yard of not less than five (5) feet from the property line. Every business structure in a B-4 District adjoining a residential structure and/or property zoned for residential purposes shall provide a minimum rear yard of at least twenty (20) feet. Maximum height limit  No building shall exceed a height of two (2) stories.  C Commercial  (l) There are a number of uses which are not exactly business, such as those establishments which serve the tourists in the central business district, and are not exactly light industrial. These include service stations, automobile dealers, warehouses, laundries. Because it is particularly important to maintain the pedestrian character of the central business districts, a Commercial zone is established where these uses are permitted as a matter of right and where there will be little interference with pedestrians. A number of these uses are permitted in the light industrial as well as the commercial district.  Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the C section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking and loading areas  Off-street parking and off-street loading shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be utilized for a C use shall have a minimum lot area of five thousand (5,000) square feet. Permitted lot occupancy  Not more than fifty (50) percent of the area of a zoning lot may be used for building or the storage of equipment other than required off-street parking or off-street loading. Maximum height limit  No building or structure shall exceed a height of thirty-five (35) feet. I-1 Heavy industry  (m) Heavy industries are those which are likely to pollute the air or the waters, which are noisy or which create problems because of heavy trucking. With the heavy dependence of the Virgin Islands on tourism and with the establishment of fine residential districts of expensive homes, obviously the Virgin Islands will wish to avoid destroying the environment which today is one of its principal assets. Therefore, limited areas are established for heavy industry. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged, or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the I-1 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  In addition to customary accessory uses, the following uses shall be permitted where necessary to a permitted principal use; guard houses, cafeterias, dining rooms, recreational facilities, clinics and the sleeping quarters of a caretaker or watchman. Required parking and loading areas  Off-street parking and off-street loading shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be utilized for an I-1 use shall have a minimum lot area of five (5) acres. Permitted lot occupancy  No more than thirty-five (35) percent of the area of the zoning lot may be used for building or the storage of equipment other than required for off-street parking or off-street loading. Lot width  No requirement. Yards  No requirement except where the property abuts a residential structure and/or property zoned for residential purposes, in which case every building shall be set back a minimum of one hundred (100) feet from the residential property line. Maximum height limit  No building or structure shall exceed a height of fifty (50) feet, except that chimneys, smokestacks or other similar devices may be erected above the height limit contained herein, but not to exceed said height limit by more than one hundred fifty (150) feet. The maximum height limit under this subsection does not apply to wireless facilities or wireless support structures.  I-2 Light industry  (n) Most of the limited industry in the Virgin Islands is what might be characterized as “light”, consisting of warehousing, contracting, some light assembly and textile manufacturing. Space available in the Virgin Islands is limited. Heretofore, additional space has been made available on a spot zone basis. Areas are now established on the zoning maps where such industries are permitted as a matter of right in relation to their effect upon surrounding property, effect upon highways by trucks, the availability of public facilities, etc. Property owners will know in advance what might be expected if they build residences adjacent to zoned industrial sites. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged, or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the I-2 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking and loading areas  Off-street parking and off-street loading shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be utilized for an I-2 use shall have a minimum lot area of five thousand (5,000) square feet. Permitted lot occupancy  No more than sixty (60) percent of the area of a zoning lot may be used for building or storage of equipment other than required off-street parking or off-street loading. Side yards  Every structure in a I-2 District shall be separated from any adjacent residential structure and/or property zoned for residential purposes by a minimum side yard of not less than twenty (20) feet. Rear yard  Every structure in a I-2 District adjoining a residential structure and/or property zoned for residential purposes shall provide a minimum rear yard of at least twenty (20) feet. Maximum height limit  No building or structure shall exceed a height of thirty-five (35) feet.  W-1 Waterfront—Pleasure  (o)  The extensive waterfront of the Virgin Islands constitutes one of its most important assets. While a very limited amount of the waterfront is presently available for public beaches, it is anticipated that the public areas will be increased to meet the recreation needs of the people of the Islands and the visitors. Those areas which are available for recreation should be preserved and protected against intrusion of an industrial nature. A Waterfront—Pleasure zone is established for that purpose. Private residential areas abutting the waterfront should also be protected not only against commercial and industrial uses, but equally important, against pollution.  Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the W-1 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking and loading areas  Off-street parking and off-street loading shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Permitted density  Every zoning lot shall be occupied by not more than two (2) dwelling units. Permitted lot occupancy  No building shall occupy more than forty (40) percent of the area of the zoning lot. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be utilized for a W-1 use shall have a minimum lot area of ten thousand (10,000) square feet. Usable open space  In addition to the requirements set forth herein for Permitted Lot Occupancy and for Off-Street Parking, thirty (30) percent of the area of the zoning lot shall be reserved for Usable Open Space. Lot width  Every lot shall have a minimum lot width of one hundred (100) feet. Front yard  Every structure in a W-1 District shall be set back from the front property line a minimum distance of twenty-five (25) feet. Side yards  Every structure in a W-1 District shall be separated from any adjacent residential structure or property zoned for residential purposes by a minimum side yard on each side of the structure of not less than ten (10) feet. Rear yard  Every structure in a W-1 District adjoining a residential structure or property zoned for residential purposes shall provide a minimum rear yard of at least twenty (20) feet. Maximum height limit  No building shall exceed a height of three (3) stories. W-2 Waterfront—Industrial  (p) Areas along the waterfront are presently being used for industrial purposes. Presumably, the comprehensive plan for the Islands will determine what limits will be placed on the use of the central waterfront of Charlotte Amalie, where ships dock to load and unload products which require trucking for industrial purposes, and what industrial uses, if any, will be permitted on St. John. Industrial uses which do not require waterfront access should be encouraged to find other sites. To do this, the Zoning Ordinance establishes adequate sites where industry is allowed as a matter of right. The Waterfront—Industrial District encourages the placement of industrial uses, which require direct waterfront access, in areas where they will relate most effectively to the surrounding districts. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the W-2 section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking and loading areas  Off-street parking and off-street loading shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be utilized for W-2 use shall have a minimum lot area of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet. Permitted lot occupancy  No more than forty (40) percent of the area of the zoning lot may be used for building or the storage of equipment other than required off-street parking or off-street loading. Yards  No requirement, except where the property abuts a residential structure and/or property zoned for residential purposes, in which case every building or structure shall set back a minimum of twenty five (25) feet from the residential property line. Maximum height limit  No building or structure shall exceed a height of thirty-five (35) feet.  P Public  (q) Properties which are publicly owned should be shown upon the zoning map as such. To zone public property for residential, commercial or industrial uses, simply because the surrounding properties fall into these categories, gives a false impression of the comprehensive development plan and encourages requests for improper rezoning of properties. A parcel of property may lie adjacent to a park entrance which is zoned industrial and the property owner may request zoning on that basis. On-site examination would indicate that such zoning would be improper. Further, in determining what land is available for private development, it is important to know how much of the Islands is not available because of public ownership; the property owner should be in a position to know the true character of the property adjacent to his own. Uses permitted  Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the P section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Required parking and loading areas  Off-street parking and off-street loading shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter. Maximum height limit  No building shall exceed the maximum height allowed in the adjoining zoning district.  S-Special  Use permitted  (r) Land and water areas shall be used and buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, enlarged or used only for one or more of the uses indicated in the S section of the TABLE OF PERMITTED USES, subject to such standards as may be referred to in that section and in the Special Requirements section of said Table and in the section on Required Conditions for Permitted Uses. Permitted accessory uses  Customary accessory uses are permitted. Parking area  Parking areas shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of section 230 of this subchapter; Provided, however, That the provisions of said section 230 shall not apply to any development for which the Planning Office has certified that such provisions will cause unnecessary alteration of the district. Permitted density  The maximum number of persons for residential structures shall not exceed eighty (80) persons per acre. Permitted lot occupancy  All principal structures shall occupy not more than fifty (50) percent of the area of the zoning lot. Secondary kitchen  No development shall provide more than one kitchen for each dwelling unit nor shall the plumbing or utility connections for such kitchens be provided within any dwelling unit. Required lot area  Every parcel of property to be utilized for residential purposes shall have a minimum of 2,000 square feet. Lot width  There shall be no minimum lot width. Maximum height limit  No residential structure shall exceed three (3) stories.