[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6161612,"mediaKeyId","5441478-b5abd4bb305b2afb46edb798b7e0221e","parentId",5441478,"title","Committee hears Affordable Housing Streamlined Zoning Act; agencies recommend amendments on sewer, timelines and staffing","audioSeconds",4388,"startMs",4395000,"endMs",6299,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5441478-b5abd4bb305b2afb46edb798b7e0221e&start=4395&end=6","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5441478-b5abd4bb305b2afb46edb798b7e0221e/thumbnail_4395000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6161612/Committee-hears-Affordable-Housing-Streamlined-Zoning-Act-agencies-recommend-amendments-on-sewer-timelines-and-staffing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6161612-10eb947d5cb65d8e00f290342e92346b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770984046&Signature=baLbYTA4jb1bCPQHaC2u~V4qTUJsLJ~bH3xsQ7XWAQ-xizIlKLQlLUwNKIYFUAYB8rCa-Zcq6YatAO8zERpW-PKmZeeargt5Jldk6w9Tv7P1RjrnnP40O270O8reTNH7E8DWA6IUJ7A1UqpSeeyVmAqgHjvytf-C-LpRM6IDFJS6CWAb6oEkq7qnPJ5KGxxGb-x8~sFLxWkB~fYLkSNaV-AhIxumWQkL57Av9faD2NHTAv0sxsLb7JlfbnMAXaPfLmR1yzbTzsJi69mhq-SvUJ4fu9CRHYTT~CRg3krjTz7-mx1bdGRHVue5ykKP5NCshMf7xINJEKzjX9JqvL~H7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Guam Legislature","date","2025-07-22T22:57:52.677Z","article","The committee heard sponsor testimony and extensive public comment on the Affordable Housing Streamlined Zoning Act (referred in testimony as bill 164-38 (transcript references 160-438 COR / 164-38)). Sponsors and housing advocates said the bill would shorten rezoning timelines for projects targeting low- and moderate-income households, while agencies urged amendments to protect water resources and to build administrative capacity.

Sponsor Senator Tina Rose Munia Barnes read a statement emphasizing a 10-year land-use restriction to keep housing affordable and said the bill “strikes the right balance between cutting red tape and maintaining…protections for our aquifer and critical resources.” The sponsor framed the bill as a response to an escalating housing shortage and invited legislative support for faster, accountable pathways to build affordable units.

Micronesia Community Development Corporation (represented by Carlos Camacho) testified in strong support and described how timing affects eligibility for time‑sensitive funding sources such as low‑income housing tax credits and other grant programs. Camacho asked the committee to consider increasing the bill’s ten-year land-use restriction to 15 years to align with federal underwriting and tax‑credit program timing.

Guam EPA and the Bureau of Statistics and Plans (BSP) supported the bill’s intent but requested changes. Guam EPA recommended that zone changes not be allowed on unsewered properties within the designated groundwater protection zone and said where municipal sewer is not available, developers should install “advanced nitrogen reducing on-site wastewater disposal systems” only for single-family R1 lots (not for apartment buildings or subdivisions). An EPA witness said the agency has no objections to sewered properties or sites outside the groundwater protection zone but urged stronger safeguards and enforcement language.

BSP urged clarifications on the role of the Agency Review Committee (ARC) and on timelines. BSP recommended conditional extensions to the proposed 30-day technical review deadline, said its current staffing could make the 30-day turnaround infeasible for complex cases, and suggested funding for additional personnel to avoid compromising technical review quality. BSP also flagged statutory inconsistencies between the bill’s proposed fast‑track municipal planning council procedures and existing municipal hearing requirements in 21 GCA chapter 61, and recommended aligning the statutory language.

The Department of Land Management (DLM/GLUC executive secretary) described where perceived “zoning delays” come from and urged the committee to identify specific procedural bottlenecks, especially municipal public‑hearing scheduling and the multi‑stage notice process. DLM recommended targeting the municipal public‑hearing requirements and other administrative steps rather than broadly applying expedited rules to every application.

Stakeholders including the Guam Association of Realtors and nonprofit developers urged passage to speed up affordable housing production but acknowledged the need for environmental and procedural safeguards. Committee members requested financial impact statements for additional staffing and agreed to work with agency authors to refine timelines and safeguards.

The bill received sponsor statement and public testimony; committee members said they will consider amendments on sewer connection requirements over aquifer areas, the length of land‑use restrictions, 30‑day review timelines and resourcing for BSP and ARC technical review. No final committee vote was recorded during the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Hearing - Vice Speaker V. Anthony Ada - July 22, 2025 2pm PT.2","oneSentenceSummary","The committee held public testimony on an Affordable Housing Streamlined Zoning Act (referred in testimony as bill 164-38), with sponsors and housing advocates urging faster rezoning to meet housing demand and agencies urging amendments to protect the Northern Guam aquifer, require sewer connections or suitable wastewater systems and to fund technical staffing.","taxTitle","General Government Operations and Appropriations\t, Legislative, Guam","taxId",18139,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6161617,"Committee hears contested unsolicited solar proposal for GICC land; developer absent, environmental and trustee concerns raised",4177,188000,4365000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5441478-b5abd4bb305b2afb46edb798b7e0221e&start=188&end=4365","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5441478-b5abd4bb305b2afb46edb798b7e0221e/thumbnail_188000.jpg","/articles/6161617/Committee-hears-contested-unsolicited-solar-proposal-for-GICC-land-developer-absent-environmental-and-trustee-concerns-raised","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6161617-f4d804f1643fb150fd50e6f63febe836/orig.mp4?Expires=1770984046&Signature=MfQuT0oLfO7CbYyt2Kbp50~IzAmivR2uDPsDA02qSkd3RXzqILADKUD7mwxjFh-z9aPFX~BWz5k~AXiKQbPP3RJJVVW22WWt5xkVT~8Lj8TN2jUxCLoUBkG4~s3n6A1TQsqUj-8H0qBE2w17skWvbxy59FVu45wYGjUsgnac-OdlqlZiD8Bz1~RUaP2QhDzvbQV5VkZ2Luqz2jXQva4m3N5TxNCtSI4x0sOybaCKGQipc6NtmAslWNpyZdwsB9BpFRXzXgyDWnTpDKp88~MLfx8nVEzeLDOqKPSLQH6zjPerhFbLTQPhUi3IubUoy5Z8xPEJjMSik9auwSJXONhkhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The committee on General Government Operations and Appropriations held a public hearing on an unsolicited proposal to develop utility-scale solar panels on land currently occupied by the Guam International Country Club (GICC), drawing questions about process, environmental risk and benefits to Chamorro Land Trust beneficiaries.

Senators and public witnesses pressed the absence of the developer at the hearing. Senator Trelahi asked, “Is he here, mister chair?” and said the proposal had been submitted to the land trust without the usual public bid process. Committee members and multiple witnesses said developer representatives declined to remain for questions or had already left the hearing.

Public testimony described competing visions for the site. Testifier Robert (last name in transcript: Celestial) said the property had previously generated revenue for community programs and urged reclaiming the site for Chamorro Land Trust use: “If you get a golf professional, an individual who understands management in golf...the proceeds could go to the Chamorro Land Trust.” He also proposed relocating Chamorro Land Trust offices to the site and using existing rent payments ($896,000 referenced in testimony) to fund infrastructure.

Committee members sought technical and contractual details. Senator Trelahi asked whether the developer had told municipal planners that the project would lower consumer electric rates; a committee witness said the Guam Power Authority (GPA) will lower rates through broad procurement of solar regardless of this single contract, and that the legislature previously passed a renewable energy policy guiding GPA procurement.

Environmental concerns and disposal were raised by Guam EPA staff. An EPA representative said there are “consequences and… hazards associated with solar panels in their manufacturing and also with their disposal” and cited an example from Typhoon Mawar when residential panels were handled as hazardous waste in 40-foot containers. EPA said the landfill will not accept hazardous solar waste and that disposal is the developer’s responsibility.

Committee members also questioned the proposal’s financing and structure. A proponent’s representative (Camacho) described a roughly $300,000,000 total development cost and said the developer had proposed phasing (parcel sizes disclosed in testimony as 26.4, 26.4 and 4.4). Camacho identified a local partner, Power Solution, and said two local owners are involved alongside an international partner (SK Eco Plant, noted as a Korean company in testimony). Senators asked whether local subcontracting was planned; Camacho said none was confirmed at that time.

Several senators and witnesses urged a formal competitive bid process instead of approving an unsolicited deal. Senator Tydiguo and others said the public and Chamorro Land Trust beneficiaries deserve a transparent procurement and that if a solar deal is pursued, the value returned to Chamorro Land Trust beneficiaries should be maximized.

The committee recorded that bill number 130-538 COR (the related measure referenced during this portion of the hearing) “has been publicly heard” and moved on to the next agenda item. Committee staff said written statements would be accepted for seven days following the hearing.

The hearing produced no recorded final vote on the proposal; committee members left open requests for additional documentation (sewer plans, investor and subcontractor lists, precise financial terms) and noted the developer’s absence as a material barrier to answering outstanding questions.","The committee on General Government Operations and Appropriations held a public hearing on an unsolicited proposal to build utility-scale solar panels on land now occupied by the Guam International Country Club (GICC), with senators, EPA staff and public witnesses pressing environmental, procurement and benefit-to-beneficiary questions while the primary developer did not remain to answer questions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears Affordable Housing Streamlined Zoning Act; agencies recommend amendments on sewer, timelines and staffing

Committee hears contested unsolicited solar proposal for GICC land; developer absent, environmental and trustee concerns raised