Zoning to push bill on abandoned buildings with Saipan delegation

The Saipan Zoning Office is asking the Legislature to hold off any action on a bill that addresses abandoned buildings and wants the bill to be referred to the Saipan and Northern Island Delegation instead.

The 24-page House Bill 18-71, titled “Nuisance Abatement and Blighted Property Maintenance Act of 2013,” was acted upon by the Senate in May 2014 but was tabled after several senators raised some concerns. It was then returned to the Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development, and Programs, chaired by Sen. Francisco Borja (Ind-Tinian).

It’s been nearly five months and there has been no action on the bill whatsoever.

“The public has been asking what we are doing about the problems and have raised concerns about their children’s safety around their own neighborhoods, and we have been asking them for their patience as we await passage of a bill from the Senate to address them. But it’s been months now and there’s still no action yet,” said Zoning Office Therese administrator Ogumoro.

To expedite the bill’s passage, Ogumoro wrote Borja on Oct. 29, 2014, telling him that her office is working on having the bill passed by the Saipan and Northern Islands legislative delegation.

“I would like to respectfully request for your understanding to hold off further actions on this bill by your committee, as our office now prepares to request action directly from the…legislative delegation,” Ogumoro stated in her letter.

Ogumoro said her office needs to address the issue of abandoned buildings as soon as possible because their latest inventory in March showed that there are over 55 such buildings along Saipan’s main thoroughfares.

“This is just the thoroughfares and doesn’t include the secondary roads,” she said.

Blighted properties can create an increased risk to the community from unsecured or open doors and windows, broken water pipes, theft of metals and other materials, overgrowth of grass, weeds, shrubs, and bushes, illegal dumping, and rodent and vermin infestation.

One community member cited the abandoned buildings heading south toward the Pacific Island Club as eyesores.

“It is embarrassing when buses from different hotels head to PIC and with Coral Ocean Point. Tourist will see how bad businesses or property owners are because it is just ugly. Who wants to come to a so-called paradise when you see buildings that downgrade the vision of our island?” the person said.

Another said he is saddened to see the Legislature not acting on any measures that address abandoned properties.

“It’s a nuisance. I go home to As Matuis and La Fiesta and other [blighted] properties along the way just create so many issues. Some children from our village sometimes go to La Fiesta and cause more damage. You don’t even know if that place is being used for drugs. You never know what is going on there,” he said.