Dart’s NS helipad denied after MP appears at CPA
(CNS): An application by one of Dart’s network of companies to construct a private helipad in a remote area of North Side to enable the owner to engage in extreme mountain biking has been turned down by the Central Planning Authority. The application by Arboretum Services Ltd was presented by Dart employees on Wednesday, where at the open hearing Ezzard Miller, the MP for North Side, represented several objecting landowners to the project as well as his constituents. While CPA Chairman Al Thompson said the board could only consider the landowners’ objections, Miller and Harris McCoy, who appeared via Zoom, were able to present a convincing enough case for the project to be declined.
While the CPA has not yet revealed the reasons for refusing the application, Miller and McCoy had raised a long list of concerns regarding the potential helicopter landing pad, as reported on CNS last week.
The land in question, where Dart is understood to have cut a bike trail through the property, is marked for agricultural purposes only. In what looks like a rare win for residents across the island who are trying desperately hard to hold onto the local natural heritage, the issue of noise and nuisance may have outweighed Cayman’s wealthiest investor’s desire for an exclusive and privileged means of enjoying his hobby.
“The North Side community and the affected landowners are pleased and thankful that the CPA has refused Dart’s application to build a helipad and operate a helicopter in the middle of this farm and cattle raising land,” Miller told CNS after the hearing. “Mr Dart is welcomed to build bicycle paths on his private land for his own exercise and pleasure, however we invite him to use the vehicular access road provided free from other landowners, and trust that he will help the other landowners to get vehicular access to their land through his land.”
During the hearing, the issue of why the billionaire was putting gates across access points in the area of North Side, where he now owns significant tracts of land, was also raised. The CPA heard concerns from Miller about the legal battle that Dart is pursuing over the question of ‘private’ versus ‘public’ easement rights.
While the closed-door courtroom battles regarding access appear to be currently focused on the situation on the West Bay Road, Miller raised the question of what was to stop the developer doing the same thing in his constituency. While this issue was not directly related to the planning application, it reflects the continued distrust that surrounds the investor, given his significant ownership of land here and the battle that Caymanians now have when it comes to rights of way.
During the hearing, Miller raised concerns that Dart could be proposing a future commercial use for the helipad, allowing wealthy visitors to be choppered in and pay for the exclusive right to enjoy the extreme sport in the pristine habitat in the Hutland area. He pointed out that no one would know because the government simply did not have the resources to police such a situation. The landowner’s representatives, however, denied this and insisted throughout the hearing that the motivation for the pad was nothing more than the 66-year-old Kenneth Dart’s passion for his hobby of extreme mountain bike riding.
Dart already owns a private trail on his land in Little Cayman and is said to have a network of bike trails all over the world. He reportedly donated a hand-cut mountain bike course to the New Zealand government in 2018 in the Wairoa Gorge, a natural forest in Tasman on New Zealand’s South Island.
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Category: development, Local News
Who in the hell cares if he puts a helipad. It’s his property. I’m sure it’s not up close to anyone else’s. Wha wha wha. Bigger problems on the island than this.
Sorry Mr. Dart. If Bush can’t have one then you can’t either. Caymanians do not yet understand laws or the reason they have them.
You hit the nail on the head. Dart is an easy target, but there are anti-Caymanian developers who are building haphazardly around the place without giving any thought to its interaction with the rest of the community. Those are the ones people need to focus on.
OMG, all the people suffering in Cayman at the moment through lack of work and nowhere to live completely sidelined by a different reality of helipads and biking…priorities please it’s getting ridiculous.
A helipad for an extreme bike riding trial. Is Dart anticipating lots of accidents?
McKeever and his then government sold Cayman out when he gave away Cayman Status to this man.
Dart intention is to make Cayman his own Eutopia. It has started people. He has bought up Little Cayman recently and now owns Cayman Brac Power and Light Company.
Unfortunately as he is ‘Caymanian’ he can not be stopped.
This whole situation scares the living day lights out of me. But what can anyone do? I suspect nothing!!!!
All the government needs to do is pass the necessary Fair Competition Law Ezzard proposed five years ago to control greedy people like Dart
If the government can give or sell someone citizenship, they can also revoke it. How does that sound!
This is just cynical political maneuvering to force a private landowner to give up access rights.
Now if you went to these generational landowners and proposed the same thing over their land then you’d see some violent opposition.
None of y’all been Notrh Side recently it seems. Them North Siders been busy clearing every last piece of bush they can find it look like.
Follow that money Ezzard see who the real benefactors of that land deal are ! What is happening to our little island and why are we letting those from elsewhere destroy it.
Sounds like political interference in the planning process to me.
What you mean kind of like (but not really) when stuff gets approved but that’s ok ?
anyone can object. the board is minded to hear objections from those who own land in the area but anyone can object on their behalf. maybe no one else the cajones to publicly speak out.
@ 9:28 am… Maybe the board just blows them off or neglects to do anything. It appears less than honest to me.
Would you believe ?…….. and some people never even know about it!
There has always been political interference in our planning department. Unfortunately, the wrong kind of interference, hence the environmental mess we are faced today.
All the government needs to do is pass the necessary Fair Competition Law Ezzard proposed five years ago to control greedy people like Dart
Read the planning law
Be truthful……… How many people actually see what the “planners” put out…… if anything is really “put out”?
O M G
Am I reading this right?
A helipad so he can get somewhere fast to “extreme mountain bike” on a path he cut out of very important vegetation. Are you freaking serious??
Wow, I’ve heard it all Cayman.
I guess it’s nothing new to a man that produces plastic which is destroying the ocean..
In other news, Caymanians continue to lose THEIR beach access on a small island that THEY live on..
I like the idea of a mountain bike trail. I didn’t know one existed on the island. I hope Mr Dart opens the facility to locals as the roads are scarily downright dangerous. Some deal could be arranged so that locals could have access for at least one or two days a week.
I hope Mr Dart appeals the decision as it seems biased against him. What about the Police helicopter? I don’t hear the cows complaining!
You are truly unaware of what is taking place on these Islands. Open to the locals, what are you drinking? This will be the same as the one has on Little Cayman, try getting near it. Completely private until he decides how he will develop the property he has purchased there. Wake up!
He has a bike path in Little Cayman that he goes to once a week by heli. Why does he need a private one here?
6 days a week – an environmental nature sanctuary no less with a helicopter flying overhead. it’s utter nonsense and should never have been approved.
You’re having a laugh, aren’t you Ken, must be. A f%^*^%g helipad to go mountain biking whilst Mark VanDevelde claims in The Compass last week that Dart ‘aims to be a responsible steward of land’ ? You people are disgrace
Well, the only thing even remotely mountain-like on Grand Cayman is the Dump and Dart doesn’t need a helicopter to get there – he can walk. But if you’re seeing mountains elsewhere, please tell me where I can get some of what you’re smoking!
Extreme mountain riding where tho??
You lost me at mountain riding??
guess that is why the usa congress breaks up huge companies if yhey get too big…guess politicians too greedy or dont care at what is happening here….sooo sad!
I would say to all these pathetic Dart haters, you get what you vote for.
@ 4 :07 pm: Only an assole would say that, although it does describe our current legislators fairly well.
I would never EVER vote for Mr. Dart!!!!!! Unless it was for his exile.
Ezzard and his fear mongering at it’s finest. Boooo .. be careful and scared, Mr. DART is gonna hover over your heads and make noise. What utter nonsense … declining a helipad? Seriously, this continued play on the boogie-man Ken Dart is such foolishiness, its laughable.
A single entity should not be able to diminish the quality of life of anyone else, especially for their mere personal pleasures. Mr. Ezzard understands this and so do I.
Also consider that Mr. Dart plays a very long game; what is proposed today becomes a different goal tomorrow, and once approved it is like Double Jeopardy — it cannot be retried again in the court of the CPA.
A very long game, indeed! How many million dollars does he need?
these islands are self destructing….soon be a gated country only for super rich..dart and his exclusive club….come on politicians…the outside world laughing at us.. we could make a law that no caymanian can own more than 30% of total land mass?? but that wont happen ..now will it…
NO, the outside world is not laughing.. stop spreading your lies. The outside world is clamoring to come to Cayman to enjoy the paradise and harmony we have to offer.
But see, he already is. His company helps to produce the plastic that’s destroying the ocean worldwide.
Yes, and those sorry-assed politicians don’t want it changed! Are they on Mr. Dart’s payroll? Some countries are trying to stop pollution of the seas.
Plastics don’t destroy oceans. People who dump plastics in the ocean do. Dart isn’t responsible for them.
Guns don’t kill people either, people do, and gun lobbyists aren’t responsible for them either 🤦🏻♀️
Are you a shill for Dart? ….. or mentally impaired??
Sorry, but your comment is shakey. Dart is the producer of styrofoam. (Also the inventor. It helped make him a billionaire.)
5:12 don’t be too quick to assume that. The younger generation is a whole new ball game when it comes to taking a stance on their environmental opinions.
You should hope the island does not end up in their crosshairs.
The outside world barely knows that the Cayman Islands exist.
Why restrict only Caymanians?
Because you can’t trust them?
No other MP would have the balls to do this but Ezzard because he is a true Caymanian who cares about his people and his home.
RESPECT Mr. M and thank you.
I would vote for Ezzard if I were a North Sider. Seems he has guts!
YES!!!!!!!
Guts doesn’t make a good leader. See: Trump. Those who have watched long enough know that Ezzard would be a disaster for Cayman.
But wait. Who sold the land?
Okay I’m falling for this. Who sold the land to Dart?
Seems to me that someone made a legal application for a helipad it was considered and refused what is with all the hate. A sorry state of affairs that depicts our times.
Perhaps more fear than hate. I don’t hate Mr. Dart at all. In many ways I respect him, but I also fear what whims of his will befall us without our choosing them.
Beau : I don’t hate him, either. I just wish he was in Afghanistan or other country in need.
In 2008, when things got bad, if it was not for Dart being here, things would been , very, very worst, Dart helped very much keep Cayman afloat then.
Mr Dart did a lot of good for Cayman , he built. Roads.
, PARKS, etc, employed many Caymanians. Tell me which Caymanian Millionaires , built , roads and parks, etc, etc.
This means someone will make it up to Dart and approve both the PAD applications by Kimpton/Yacht Club and for Aster Cayman hospital. 175 acres of open zone to whatever Dart wants in exchange for a helicopter pad 😔
Nah. He was getting those anyway. He’ll simply appeal the CPA decision. And I bet Ezzard’s opponent in the election ges a sizeable contribution to his election fund.
Well done Ezzard and Harris don’t blame Dart though hold those greedy anti Caymanian elements that sold that land responsible. All this commotion so they could fund their little Million dollar beach palace now being constructed on Spotts Beach. They are the real environment rats around this place.
There is enough blame to go around. Blame anyone you want. I still blame Dart for his many evils.
That’s “Many, many, many, many. many, and many more, Miz Biddy.
If North Side think they have it bad now- try 1 of the alternatives to Ezzard. Vote Ezzard and Arden as they appear to be the only 2 who have any cojones to stand up to the wrong doings in this country. We need tough and bold leadership so I hope both of these gentlemen can put the past behind and form a government where the PEOPLE and not MONEY come FIRST
We need to get rid of all those who have come here wid they surfboard and tennis racket and anti Caymanian attitude and Snob white privilege mantra living off the proceeds of the land they did not even have rights to, all be because certain Caymanians. simply didn’t have the balls to put their little conceited @$$ in there proper place. Now they too hogging up and running locals off the beach that local people have been going to for over 70 years.
You can try the xenophobic rants all you want but when you point a finger at someone else, 3 fingers are pointing back at yourself.
There should be no rancor in people expressing their opinions. We are all in this together. We’re a pretty big tribe, with several sub-sects.
I bet if you talked to that person, you’d have more in common than differences.
So you think blaming whites is appropriate? Get real
Easier to get rid of the few ignorant third worlders that are still holding out here. Local people used to own all the land 70 years ago brother. The world has moved on without you.
North side 4 life:
You have two options if you choose to blame-
Those buying or those selling (which includes those approving the sell). Who do you think you can stop first?
Have you ever tried to play tennis while riding a surfboard? It’s really difficult, so fair play to anyone willing to give it a go.
I know right. I wouldn’t underestimate the power of those tennis rackets though. With it, you can acquire the grown wife of a local businessman, produce change of life babies, obtain pristine oceanfront land that was previously Caymanian family-owned, all viewed from the comfort of your recently constructed multi-million-dollar estate home! Sounds like a Grand Slam?
There are mountains in Hutland?
60+ foot elevations
60ft “mountain”!
They said it was for Dart’s “Mountain Biking” activities. Just because the bikes are called “Mountain Bikes” doesn’t mean thy can only be used on mountains. Logic is completely lost on you lot.
Irony is certainly lost on you
Yeah, you should get out more.
There are entire mountain ranges to be explored in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
“I have heard it many times that the things Caymanians put up with would cause demonstrations and fights in most other countries in the world, and I have to say it is true. I also have to say that I don’t know why our people are like that.”
-Ormand Lauder Panton, 1920-1992.
Every time that noise-maker idles up, it can be heard and felt for miles. It’s bad enough seeing and living the many failings and abuse of processes by DART in person…the life sentence of all Caymanian residents shouldn’t have to also include hearing, and feeling the high-handed douche-baggery. It’s an affront to their pretending to give a toss about the “environment”. We need to see the WTE Landfill agreement and scrutinize the plan, because right now we should all be picturing a giant furnace with a short smoke stack belching toxic black soot just high enough to be deposited everywhere outside of their portfolio’s property lines.
Yes of course Dart will build something belching toxic smoke right next to their land. You smart.
Geez why can’t he just drive over like everyone else? Or better yet ride his bike.
Because they have a helicopter.
Need be back back by 5pm for cocktails on the rooftop.
You can always count on the thankless donoithingers full of envy, to criticize those they should be thanking.
miller included.
@ 11:06 am; Please tell everyone what a donoithinger is.
Well done!
I’m sure Dart needs the funds from choppering people to ride a bicycle! Another family already has a landing pad, so the precedent has been set.
Courage my people courage and stamina to fight the oppressors including our own politicians. Three cheers for Messrs. Miller and Mcoy.
This issue is not over. Money always eventually wins in Cayman.
Yeah. They don’t call Mr. Dart’s operations with money “vulture funds” for no reason! He might own more of the Caymans than anyone would believe.
What do you mean, ‘might’!? I can assure you that indeed he does own more of the Cayman Islands than the collective balance of the people.
But it would be a huge undertaking to put together all of the different names/shell companies to figure out just how much.
Seems to me there was one being shown when we tried to keep him from taking WB Road. (and he owns even more now) But that mysteriously went missing, never to be seen again.
You people would literally sh!t your drawers if you knew…
It is quite impressive isn’t it? I am curious to watch what the island looks like and how it is governed by 2035. All kinds of potential ahead.
He already does, we just don’t know it yet🙄
Well, the solution to all this is evident then. But Caymanians refuse to ignore the allure of money and greed so they will continue to be controlled by it and its agents.
It do seem that way.
So tired of this. Honestly. We continue to bend over backwards to accomodate Mr Dart and for what?
His future generations already own the Cayman Islands and it’s a sad state for us to be in.
Hopefully his grandchildren will have some mercy and sympathy for the future Caymanian generations and offer back some of the land or offer a way to acquire it back somehow.
Or better yet, they’ll just hate living here and denounce their status and return everything for a price!!
We can only hope right?!
If we’re really honest though we’ll know that they’re being groomed for the obvious take over. Like how best to help we poor, money hungry and uneducated savages without direct genocide. Pretty sure they’ll also be trained, encouraged and propelled towards all managerial and important roles within these islands including and especially government.
We are so F&#@%* in so many ways. April 14th can’t come quick enough.
Beatrice
Keep out of Canaan Bay then!!
I can’t, that’s where the most convenient Foster’s is.
Keep out of Camana Bay then!!
Aw….honey bunny, do you think that’s hard to do? It’s not. I haven’t been to CB for about 6+ years (and very rarely even prior to that).
And believe it or don’t, there is a huge number of people that do NOT go to Camana Bay. There are plenty of better establishments elsewhere. And a lot less pretentious. No need for a flowy dress nor floppy hat either.
Well, I mean until he buys those up too! Byebye Deckers…
Should not have sold him the land then.
Bravo Ezzard and Harris
Cayman gave him an inch years ago and it will not be long before he takes the last mile. We’re a bunch of pushovers and that’s why he’s run roughshod over us.
Thankfully, Ezzard and Harris stood up to CPA. A precedence has now been set but it takes your elected representatives to do the right thing.
Vote wisely people, or do your representative to sell you and your future out to the highest bidder?