Comments on: Ditleff Point Morning, St. John US Virgin islands

By: Gerald Singer

Gerald Singer — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:29:10 +0000

Your Right to Enjoy Virgin Islands Beaches

In 1978 Virgin Islands passed an important new law, the Coastal Zone Management Act, to protect and preserve the coastal areas of the Territory and to preserve the tradition of the public access to the Territory’s shorelines.

Today, the goals that were set still stand as one of the best ways we have of passing that Virgin Islands heritage-beach access on to future generations.

Access to cultural, historical and natural areas along the coast is essential to public understanding and enjoyment of coastal and marine resources. Of course, the public should use the territory’s beaches in ways that would not degrade or damage these valuable resources.

The CZM Program, through its permitting process, does not allow commercial building on the Territory’s shorelines without first securing an easement for public access to the shorelines. Beaches cannot be fenced off. The public has the right to be on the beach, enjoy them and use them for recreational purposes.

If you have been denied your right to be on a beach in the US Virgin Islands, please contact the Division of Coastal Zone Management and report the incident.

http://czm.dpnr.gov.vi/documents/public_access.html

By: Jack Hogencamp

Jack Hogencamp — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:40:55 +0000

I realize the most recent post is almost a year old, but I see this site is hosted by Gerald Singer, so I thought I would see if a new comment might at least momentarily raise the access question again, since I can’t seem to find a definitive answer so far in my searches. Simply put, do the old trails that led down to Ditleff Beach still exist and are non-Ditleff-residents allowed to come in through the pedestrian access gate and use those trails? Mr. Singer, my wife and I still have our 1994 copy of The St. John Beach Guide; it is what first took us to Ditleff, and so many of the other beaches on the island. It’s a real treat to be able to leave a comment for you. Can you answer my question? Thanks!

By: gerald

gerald — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 23:40:34 +0000

I sincerely believe that access to the beaches of the Virgin Islands should be open to the public.
G

By: Jack O'Rourke

Jack O'Rourke — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:37:05 +0000

As a homeowner on Ditleff Point, I personally also do not object to folks jogging and walking their dogs along the Ditleff Point road, which I must remind you, that we as homeowners, not the government, paid for and maintain. However, the attitude that “we have always used this private land and therefore we are always entitled to use the land” is disappointing.
As far as the original intention for Ditleff Point, I would have to assume that if Mr. Rockefeller never intended Ditleff Point to be developed, like the several thousand acres he donated to the Virgin Islands National Park, then he would not have sold it, and private individuals would not have paid good money for it. In anticipation of Ditleff Point being developed, Mr. Rockefeller, in fact, imposed carefully thought out Development Guidelines which must be and in fact are being adhered to.

By: Oleg Popov

Oleg Popov — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:20:28 +0000

Thank you Gerald. If I remember correctly there is a beach access at the end of Klein Bay Drive?

By: gerald

gerald — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:28:00 +0000

It’s a fairly short snorkel from Klein Bay to the beach at Ditleff

By: Oleg Popov

Oleg Popov — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:28:39 +0000

Is there any way to get to the beach on a Ditleff point by land around the gatehouse for a snorkeling?

By: Gerald

Gerald — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:55:39 +0000

The trail is now a paved road controlled by a gate at the entrance

By: Oleg Popov

Oleg Popov — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:38:11 +0000

Hi Michael,

Where the trail starts that you are talking about?

Thanks,

Oleg

By: michael skurnik

michael skurnik — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:40:21 +0000

I have to believe it is and i will do whatever I can to insure that it does