Palacios, R-Saipan, said he saw how an old couple from Japan shook their heads in disgust when they saw underwear hanging on the balcony of an apartment on Plumeria Avenue in Garapan.
He said these are eye sores that should be banned.
Last week, Palacios, who chairs the House Committee on Natural Resources, introduced House Local Bill 17-40 which will amend the Saipan zoning law.
The bill targets “any article of clothing hung outside of a balcony, terrace, porch, deck or veranda that distracts the sight of motorists or pedestrians at an intersection or driveway connected to public or private street or alley, or along any street or sidewalk.”
According to the bill, it has been brought to the attention of the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation that clothes hanging on balconies “have a propensity to distract drivers and is an eyesore to the tourists.”
They are a public nuisance, Palacios said.
The zoning law’s current list of public nuisance includes vegetation obstructing passage for motorists or pedestrians, abandoned vehicles and appliances, animal carcasses, dilapidated structures, polluted wells, streams, lakes, canals, industrial wastes, agricultural wastes or other substances, human excrement and a building, structure, or other place or location where any activity is in violation of CNMI, or federal law.
Palacios said commonwealth is trying to save its only industry, tourism, so everybody should be mindful of how their immediate surroundings would appear to visitors.
He said some tourists are not used to seeing underwear hanging outside homes.
