NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Paradise Island Tourism Development Association (PITDA) says that it plans to lodge an appeal against what it called the "erroneous decision" of the Town Planning Committee to approve Wendy's and Marco's Pizza restaurants on Paradise Island.
In a statement, the association said: "PITDA and its members are extremely disappointed in the decision of the Town Planning Committee to approve the Wendy's / Marco's Pizza fast-food operation at the proposed site on the world-renowned Paradise Island. We believe that this site is one of the many prime locations on the island – it is near the roundabout by the exit bridge and contributes to first and last impressions and experiences of the otherwise luxurious Paradise Island."
The association noted that it had made a formal request to the Committee to extend the time to permit it to submit written and considered objections to the proposed development and its comments on the numerous issues arising from the public hearing on the application.
"The Committee refused to grant the extension and instead advised PITDA that it would be meeting in one week to make a decision and indicated that any submission should be submitted for consideration before the meeting. In a rushed but comprehensive correspondence, PITDA (i) reminded the Committee of its various concerns, including parking and traffic concerns, (ii) questioned the Committee's refusal to require a traffic impact assessment (despite the concerns it raised when this developer made its first application before the same Committee, which was approved and later successfully appealed against), (iii) advised that it had commissioned a traffic impact study from a local expert, and (iv) offered to assist the Committee with identifying the development policy for Paradise Island (since the Department of Physical Planning had failed to create one despite its statutory requirement to do so) to avoid the Committee making yet another uninformed planning decision," the PITDA stated.
The association had also requested that the Committee call a special hearing after the submission of the traffic impact study and the policy document to permit it and others to have a fair hearing before the Committee on all of the issues arising.
"The purpose of this request was to allow PITDA, other stakeholders (including residents and business on Paradise Island), the developer, and other interested persons adequate time to carefully prepare submissions to be heard before the Committee and to permit such persons to put reasonable questions to the Committee regarding their material considerations and the use of their power," the association said.
The association contends that it was wrong for the committee to disregard the objections of the businesses and residents of Paradise Island, who they say overwhelmingly reject the development, adding that the introduction of the proposed fast food restaurants is unnecessary and unwanted.
"The PITDA, the businesses, and residents of Paradise Island believe that permitting the branding and operation of these fast food brands on Paradise Island will have an immediate negative impact on the Paradise Island brand (upon which thousands of jobs and the overall branding of the islands of The Bahamas depend). We believe that the Committee acted unfairly and unreasonably in (i) refusing to grant PITDA's reasonable request for an extension of time and (ii) refusing its request for a special hearing by approving the application without the courtesy of a response to PITDA's requests, despite the unanswered questions regarding traffic concerns, and without providing any feedback on the matters which were material and immaterial to its decision-making process," the association stated, adding: "PITDA and its members plan to lodge an appeal against this erroneous decision immediately."
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