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‘Legislature exerts undue influence on zoning’
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Posted on Apr 18 2008
A lawmaker has reiterated her concern about legislative requests for amendments to the Saipan zoning plan.
Rep. Tina Sablan says that by adopting such resolutions, the House of the Representatives is exerting undue influence on the Saipan Zoning Board.
Sablan made the statement, as the House approved this week a resolution asking the Zoning Board to change the zoning classification of a Sadog Tasi building to allow a microbrewery to open in the area.
It was the second such resolution adopted by the House. The first involved a property in Kagman, which is being eyed as location for a future moderate-sized grocery story.
According to Sablan, there is already a process in place for appeals to the board to consider amendments to the zoning plan. The board is currently entertaining such requests.
“We should respect the laws that we have created and the processes that are in place, and allow agencies to do their jobs,” said Sablan, who voted against the resolution.
Rep. Francisco Dela Cruz, author of the resolution, said an investor is interested in reopening the microbrewery located next to Coffee Care restaurant in Sadog Tasi.
The first and only microbrewery on Saipan opened in 1994 and shut down its operation a year later.
Currently, the commercial building is classified as “village commercial.” Such zoning restricts manufacturing.
The resolution, which seeks to have the property reclassified as “mixed commercial,” states that the proposed microbrewery operation is “small scale and environmentally friendly.”
