Public comments sought once more on draft CSDP plan

The CNMI community is being invited to learn more and to offer comments on the draft “Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan” that the Office of Planning and Development is creating for the CNMI.

The plan’s contents and process—now available at https://opd.gov.mp/csdp/—will be discussed in two virtual meetings this week:

Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2pm (Saipan Mayor’s Office)

Thursday, Dec. 17, 2pm (Business Incubation Center, RHS, Rota)

The Office of Planning and Development, under the CNMI Office of the Governor is mandated to work with the Planning and Development Advisory Council to create the CSDP. This plan aims to provide guidance for the sustainable development of the CNMI’s economy and infrastructure, both in the short and long term. Part of the CDSP will be a statement of development objectives, standards, and principles to guide the use of land in the CNMI for residential, recreational, agricultural, commercial, and other uses and which includes protections to enhance the quality of the environment and preserve the CNMI’s natural beauty and historical heritage.

Draft outlines of the “Visioning” themes, goals, and objectives were shared in July and September with a request for feedback from planning partners and community stakeholders. This feedback, as well as action planning elements from various partner agencies, has been incorporated into each update of the draft CDSP. Last Nov. 10, 2020, a public notice and comment period was announced for three of these components—two watershed management plans and the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan.

The new virtual meetings this week follow the Dec. 9 public meeting at the Tinian Public Library and are intended to solicit feedback from community stakeholders regarding these three plans, as required by Public 20-20.

Email planning@opd.gov.mp if you would like more information or would like to register for these e-meetings. More information on these meetings will be forthcoming from OPD through a variety of channels to ensure that anyone who is interested has the opportunity to participate.

The current working draft of the CSDP was also announced on Nov. 10 and is currently available for public review and comment. Comments are requested by Dec. 18, 2020, via email to planning@opd.gov.mp so that additional feedback can be incorporated into the next update of the CSDP. The community is also invited to take the OPD’s visioning and guiding values surveys. (PR)