Yet, some residents told the Commonwealth Zoning Board during a public hearing held last Thursday they are amenable to opening small businesses with related-gaming activities, like the proposed restaurant near the social hall, provided that rules and regulations are laid down.
Another public hearing is scheduled for this Thursday.
Zoning Board Chairman Henry S. Hofschneider and Administrator Victor Barrett, together with the Zoning Board officers and staff, met and explained to Tanapag residents the purpose of the public hearing.
From the main agenda “should there be a village center plan,” the application for a permit filed by an investor to open a restaurant in a newly-built one-storey building was also discussed.
Through a power point presentation, the Zoning Board also informed the residents about the Zoning Law of 2008 and the reason for the public hearing due to the investor’s application for a permit for his restaurant.
The Zoning Board through Hofschneider and Barrett, also underscored the importance of residents’ inputs in order to craft a sustainable community development.
The law mandates that the area where the investor’s proposed restaurant was constructed be classified as a residential zone.
The investor has been operating restaurant “Waft by the Sea” for years near the beachfront, but has been closed since December 2008.
He has relocated his new restaurant to a newly-leased lot and awaiting go signal from the Zoning Board.
The Zoning Board then asked the residents present numbering to more than 30, if they accept the opening of a new restaurant in the area.
“I’m born and raised here and am in favor to commercialize the area,” a male resident told the public hearing.
The residents however voiced their concerns during the public hearing, like their opposition to big businesses.
A female resident interviewed by the Variety during the public hearing said: “This (Tanapag) will be the last village to have beautiful beachfront. We don’t want to be like Garapan. The community and residents still have and we maintain the tradition and culture, family living together. People know everyone and having no problems in the community.”
In an interview with the Variety at the church compound, Santa Remedios parish pastoral organization chair Bill T. Lieto expressed strong opposition to opening community of poker game rooms, establishments selling liquors, among others.
“We are against poker game rooms, restaurants where there will be karaoke and selling of beers,” Lieto shared.
The restaurant investor expressed through a friend/interpreter that he will follow the Zoning Law.
He also shared that he has six potential investors but later fly out of the island upon learning of the Waft’s situation.
“He loves the community so much and he has been very close to the residents,” the investor’s another friend Felipe Q. Kapileo told the Variety.
