This is another burden that the Saipan Zoning Office has to deal with since the new law does not clearly gives it the authority to force building owners or landlords to get rid of these abandoned signs.
Saying that the zoning law is for the safety and well-being of the people, acting Zoning Office Administrator Therese Ogumoro is urging building owners to visit her office and discuss when can be done to get rid of business signs that were left behind by their former tenants, especially those that are already tearing apart.
Many of these businesses, she said, shut down 10 years ago.
These abandoned signs decrease the character of a building and diminish the appearance of other businesses nearby, she added.
Ogumoro also urged business owners who plan to move to other locations to get rid of their non-conforming signs before they leave their current business site.
Some landlords or building owners, she said, are off-island which makes addressing the problem more difficult.
But the Zoning Office can work with other agencies to get rid of these signs, she added.
