The Saipan zoning law that took effect in Dec. 2008, mandates the gradual transfer of adult businesses to Middle Road from Garapan tourist district this month.
“The regulation that established the district is still intact and valid, it is only the implementation that is being delayed,” Hofschneider said in an e-mail to the Variety.
He said “the reason for this delay in implementation is the concern about adult businesses being unable to find commercial spaces in the overlay district to locate their establishments.”
Hofschneider said “it appears landowners and commercial building owners have turned down propositions from adult business owners to rent their commercial spaces.”
The Zoning Board and Administrator Victor Barrett have recently revisited the overlay district.
Hofschneider said “the board and administrator believe that Middle Road still needs a lot of improvement to make pedestrian and vehicular traffic safer, and locating the adult business district elsewhere would be a potential of many solutions.”
Hofschneider said the Zoning Board is seriously looking into the current situation of the business community.
“But we will not circumvent the law,” he added.
Hofschneider said through public consultations with the different stakeholders, like adult business and land owners, the Zoning Board and Barrett will identify an alternative “adult business park.”
