Previous Story
4 hectares of private land being cleared on Capital Hill
|
Posted on Jun 07 2011
Motorists traversing the road going to and from Capital Hill may have noticed an ongoing land clearing by one of the steep curves after passing the Coffee Care area. The project, funded by a Korean investor, covers some 4 hectares of private land with a good view of the Saipan Lagoon and Managaha Island.
By the time the land clearing is over, dozens and perhaps hundreds of trees may have been cut down to give way to a private enterprise.
Gone are most of the trees and vegetation covering the sloping area, right next to the spot where the famous Capital Hill “tree trunk” is located.
Jesus A. Reyes, president of J.A.R. Design Consulting Services, which was contracted by a Korean investor for the land clearing, said the investor spent some two years just to secure local and federal permits to be able to clear the property.
He said the land clearing will pave the way for a private investment that will generate revenue for the CNMI.
“We have all the permits needed, and every day, we’re visited by DEQ [Division of Environmental Quality], CRM [Coastal Resources Management] and DFW [Division of Fish and Wildlife]. We won’t be starting this without proper permits,” he said.
The actual land clearing started on May 25.
He said the investor spent $36,000 just to have birds in the area transferred to another location, as required by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
In an interview at the site yesterday, Reyes said the private land is owned by Ana Deleon Guerrero, and is being leased by a Korean investor.
He said the investor does not want to disclose at this time the type of structure that will be built at the site once the land clearing is completed.
Other lawmakers have also been curious about the ongoing land clearing.
They asked whether it’s a private or public property, and whether there are necessary permits considering the massive amount of trees and vegetation cut down. They said unlike the installation of Marpi power poles which triggered protests from some residents over aesthetics issue, the land clearing on Capital Hill seems to be quietly progressing.
