Public invited to OPD community planning meetings

The Office of Planning and Development, under the CNMI Office of the Governor, would like to invite all interested community members to join OPD’s upcoming planning meetings. These meetings are a chance for OPD to update the public on the status of the CNMI’s Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan and three planning task forces—the Built Environment Task Force, Natural Resources Task Force, and Socio-Economic/Disaster Risk Reduction Task Force—and for task force members and stakeholders to provide their feedback on plan components and supporting implementation efforts.

The planning meetings are taking place this week on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8am to 12pm via Zoom, and will also be livestreamed to the OPD Facebook page @CNMIOPD670.

Although the presentations will end each day for a lunch break, the meetings will resume after lunch to allow for community questions and discussion. Questions can be submitted via Zoom or Facebook during the meetings, and comments are being requested through Octo. 1 to help update the working documents that will be discussed this week. See https://opd.gov.mp/news/announcements/your-feedback-requested-10-1/ to learn more about the CSDP and engagement opportunities.

Space is limited on Zoom, so if you have not yet RSVP’d, email planning@opd.gov.mp and we will add your name to the registration email list.

Day 1: The CSDP and Built Environment Planning Task Force

• 8am – 8:45am – Built Environment Updates
• 8:45am – 9am – Smart, Safe Growth – Building Back Better
• 9am – 9:15am – Rebuilding with Resilience – CUC Power & Water
• 9:15am – 9:30am – Comprehensive Solid Waste Management
• 9:30am – 9:45am – Safe and Sustainable Highways and Roads
• 9:45am – 10am – Water Quality and Environmental Health
• 10am – 10:15am – Complete Streets for Safe Transport and Healthy Communities
• 10:15 am – 10:30am – CREST Resiliency Hubs, Marianas Mappers / RiskMAP Updates
• 10:30am – 11:30am Community Visioning follow-ups and next steps

Day 2: The CSDP and Socio-Economic/Disaster Risk Reduction Planning Task Force

• 8am – 8:50am – Context, RR Summary, and Socio-Econ Updates
• 9am – 9:15am – Garapan Revitalization Updates
• 9:15am – 9:30am – Sustainability Tourism Plan
• 9:30am – 9:45am – NMHC CBDG-DR Disaster Action Plan
• 9:45am – 10am – Resiliency Office and BRIC
• 10am – 11:00 am CEDS – Community Visioning – CEDS, EDA Projects Updates – Survey and Next Steps
• 11am – 12pm – Community Visioning follow-ups and next steps

Day 3: The CSDP and Natural Resources Planning Task Force

Where We’re Going – The Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan and Natural Resources Planning Task Force
• 8am – 9am Natural Resources Updates – CSDP and Natural Resources Planning
• 9am – 9:30am – Watershed Planning – Garapan, Laolao, Achugao, and Talakhaya
• 9:30am – 9:45am – Coral Restoration and Resiliency Planning
• 9:45am – 10am – DFW Planning updates
• 10am – 10:15am – Forestry Planning updates
• 10:15am – 10:30am – National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Coastal Resilience Agency Update
• 10:30am – 10:45am – State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)
• 10:45am – 11am – Next Steps – Resources Report Recommendations and Visioning (OPD)
• 11am – 12pm – Community Visioning follow-ups and next steps (survey link, open facilitated discussion)

These public planning meetings are a great opportunity to provide your input on how OPD can help to shape a better and more sustainable future for the CNMI. Learn more at opd.gov.mp/. (PR)