Commercial clampdown

Karleen Allen’s emotions are a mix of frustration and anger as she grapples with the matter of a commercial property that was established in her residential neighbourhood of Greenwood, St James, roughly six years ago.

According to Allen, she had been living beside an empty lot for 22 years when she observed some foreigners viewing the property in 2018.

She told The Sunday Gleaner that she welcomed the thought of having neighbours. However, she was surprised to learn that the foreigners who bought the land had other plans. Her perspective on the newcomers changed as they brought in excavators, tractors, crane trucks and other equipment to be stored and cleaned.

“When they came in, they said that they were going to build an apartment. We were excited for an apartment because the lot was empty. Then the walls went up, which [raised eyebrows] but we didn’t say anything. Then we realised that the gate didn’t look like it was an apartment. They put up a big gate and then the trucks started coming in,” lamented Allen, who lives closest to the contentious lot in the 500-resident community.

“We saw trucks, excavators and cranes coming in and then some people from the wharf were also carrying in things,” Allen added.

While Greenwood is home to several commercial spaces, Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon told The Sunday Gleaner that the section where Allen resides is zoned as a residential area.

Allen said the introduction of the commercial property has drastically changed the character of her once-peaceful home.

She complained of having to endure a “pungent odour, consistent gasoline smell, a smelly portable toilet and noise pollution”.

“They started to work over there by spraying and cleaning their equipment. They are wearing masks and I have asthma. I asked them what they are using and they are not telling us,” she complained.

“When they pull their toilet, my whole house stinks,” she said, referring to when the cesspool pit is being emptied. “I am tired of it ... . I just want it to be resolved.”

She further lamented that she offers a part of her home for rental, using the income to help her children through university. However, she is currently unable to rent the space.

“I had tenants here because I am a single mother. Mi nah rent because people can’t manage the noise,” she said.

Filed several complaints

She said that trying to talk with the workers did not yield any success.

“The Jamaican workers are defending their jobs because one of them said he wants his money to send his children to school. They do not care that we are dying over here,” she told The Sunday Gleaner.

Fuelled by frustration and annoyance, Allen said she filed several complaints with the St James Public Health Services and the St James Municipal Corporation, in hopes of finding a resolution.

Shericka Lewis, chief public health inspector for St James, told The Sunday Gleaner that she did not observe any infractions from a public health perspective during a visit to the property two Fridays ago.

“[There was] no pungent or noxious odour, just a mild gas smell,” she said.

“What we saw being stored there were ... heavy-duty equipment, and we were told that these items are used at various construction sites across the parish, particularly where hotels are being built. Nothing out of place was observed at the property from a public health perspective,” Lewis reported.

She said that recommendations were given to improve wastewater management efforts at the property.

“One thing that we noticed was that they had a hole that was dug out and they said it’s a part of their wastewater management. So, when they wash the tractors, the water would soak away in that hole. We made some recommendations to them. The owner and operator of the premises was not available at the time of the inspection. However, we spoke to the security guard that was there and some of the workers,” Lewis said.

“But, based on public health, there was nothing that we observed that could have created any offensive odour,” she added.

Meanwhile, Mayor Vernon told The Sunday Gleaner that a cease-and-desist notice was served on the Spanish-owned Horizon Construction Company during a recent property inspection as “it is not legal to use a residential lot to conduct commercial activities”.

“Zoning order and restrictive covenant determine use. The local authority uses the development order when zoning rules are being breached, and residents use the restrictive covenant when the covenant is being breached,” Vernon further explained.

While reiterating that “the referenced section of the Greenwood community is zoned as a residential area”, Vernon noted that the operators of the commercial property may find themselves in trouble with the law if they continue to operate there beyond the September 10 cease-and-desist deadline.

“Based on what was reported and where the officers did their inspection, the activities there are in contravention to what has been agreed to for the orderly development of the area,” he said.

Vernon said plans are afoot to implement a complaints system to manage public concerns and requests at the St James Municipal Corporation.

“I will also be meeting with the heads of citizens’ associations and citizen development commissions in September to implement a Community Monitoring Council to aid the corporations with identifying breaches and infractions across communities. These strategies will enhance our monitoring and responsiveness going forward. We encourage residents to email us or call about these situations and we will address them,” the mayor said.

rochelle.clayton@gleanerjm.com