Committee recommends three for CNMI Zoning Board amid long debate over spot zoning, noise and development

The Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation’s Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations voted April 9 to recommend three nominees to the Commonwealth Zoning Board and asked the newly nominated members to address longstanding complaints about spot zoning, mixed‑use noise nuisances and inconsistent permitting.

The committee recommended the confirmations of Cameron Elias Sablan Nicholas, Richard Villagomez Salas and Steven P. Sablan by voice vote. Members spent extended time questioning nominees about how they would handle conflicts between long‑term residents and newer tourist‑district businesses, how to guard against politically motivated rezoning requests, and how to make zoning maps and permitting more data‑driven and transparent.

Why it matters: Land use and zoning decisions affect daily life in Saipan’s villages and the island’s economic development. Representatives said constituents regularly raise problems such as loud nightlife in mixed commercial‑residential zones, unclear application of regulations, and the perception that the permitting process can be inconsistent or politically influenced.

Representative Marissa R. Flores asked nominees how they would address a persistent noise nuisance in a mixed‑use area and whether the board would be willing to deny applications that would worsen residents’ quality of life. Flores warned that the system can be fragmented: “while they're saying zoning is the problem, you go to zoning, they say the mayor is the issue, then you go to the mayor, and then you say it's BCQ,” and she urged better coordination across agencies.

Richard V. Salas, a former director of the Division of Coastal Resources Management who is nominated to the zoning board, said the board must balance public interest and the rule of law and that “spot zoning is against the law.” Salas said mapping and data need updating so the public understands why variances are considered and to reduce confusion about historical land uses.

Cameron Nicholas and Steven Sablan told members they would weigh business interests against residents’ rights, stress public hearings, and work to restore a quorum so the board can act more consistently. Members and nominees discussed specific technical issues raised by legislators: unresolved public‑access roads, building heights and view‑sheds, permit notification and signature requirements for neighbors, and coordination with Public Works and DPS on enforcement matters.

Outcome: Motions recommending each nominee passed by voice vote; the chair instructed staff to prepare committee reports. Representatives emphasized the board’s authority to deny projects that would negatively affect residents and urged the nominees to prioritize transparency, data updates for zoning maps, and interagency coordination.

Next steps: Committee reports will be drafted recommending the three nominees for confirmation and forwarded through the delegation’s process.