“There are applications now for rezoning in certain areas, but it’s not included in our text amendment,” he said.
Lawmakers have yet to approve the proposed changes to the Saipan Zoning Law as they continue to review the text amendments submitted by the Zoning Office.
The board will look into rezoning applications and conduct public hearings before submitting appropriate recommendations to the Legislature, Blanco said.
Once the Legislature approves it, the application for rezoning is final, he said, citing the example of House Local Bill 17-50 which is now Saipan Local Law 17-12.
Signed by acting Gov. Eloy S. Inos on July 27, the new law changes the designation of certain areas from village residential to village commercial zoning district, from village residential to mixed commercial, and from rural to mixed commercial zoning district.
The new law, which was based on the Zoning Board’s recommendations, also repealed administrative variances, Blanco said.
The changes include the decrease of up to 50 percent of the required dimension requirements, the size of the lot or front yard, side or rear yard setback; a change in fence height or requirement regarding the specific decorative elements required by the law such as a building façade design; a decrease of up to 33 percent in the number of required parking spaces; and an increase of up to 20 percent in the number of compact parking spaces allowed on the site.
Rural land that has 6 percent slope can now have a setback of 10 feet from the property line at the front yard, side yard or rear yard.
A sidewalk, road, tennis court, hammerhead tee turnaround, and cul-de-sac will have a setback of three feet from the property line when land is over 6 percent slope.
Blanco said every area on Saipan has been rezoned, but the previous Zoning administration might have overlooked some village residential areas.
“A person, for example, wants to build an apartment on his property, so he comes to Zoning because a residential designation is very strict — you can’t do any commercial activity there,” he said.
