{"id":277687,"date":"2018-06-07T06:06:49","date_gmt":"2018-06-06T20:06:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=277687"},"modified":"2018-06-07T06:06:49","modified_gmt":"2018-06-06T20:06:49","slug":"zoning-board-gives-new-century-the-green-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/zoning-board-gives-new-century-the-green-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Zoning board gives New Century the green light"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Sebastian commercial building is seen right across the Tanapag Middle School where a developer is looking to convert the three-story\u00a0facility into a 48-room hotel. (Jon Perez)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After a lengthy public hearing, the Commonwealth Zoning board approved Monday night the conditional use application of New Century Hotel LLC to take over the three-story Sebastian Building in Tanapag Village and convert it into a hotel. <\/p>\n

The application gained both support and opposition from Tanapag residents.<\/p>\n

In written comments, the office of Zoning administrator Therese T. Ogumoro said that New Century\u2019s application \u201cis not entirely compatible with the immediate surrounding uses in terms of overall use characteristics.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sebastian Building is right across the Tanapag Middle School, with the soon-to-be built Saipan Garden Resort of Hong Kong-based American Sinopan LLC just in front, along Chalan Pale Arnold.<\/p>\n

The board, voting 3-0, approved New Century\u2019s application. Those who were in favor of the application were acting chair Mariano Taitano, secretary Jose Ayuyu Jr., and member Patrick V. Reyes.<\/p>\n

Board chair Diego C. Blanco was off-island, while member Joel C. Camacho, who is running for one of the two House seats in Precinct 4, excused himself since the Sebastian Building is owned by his grandfather, David Camacho.<\/p>\n

Ogumuro\u2019s Zoning comment stated that any development must be compatible with existing or allowable uses of adjacent properties as stated in CNMI zoning laws. \u201cThis project\u2019s compatibility is relative to the recently permitted resort development, which is situated directly across from the east of Chalan Pale Arnold.\u201d<\/p>\n

The unpredictable volume of vehicles, vans and buses, and the nature of activity in the planned hotel project is also not compatible to its surroundings that include the Tanapag Middle School, American Sinopan\u2019s hotel, and the residential neighborhood, she said.<\/p>\n

The Zoning administrator said, though, that their staff recommends approving the conditional use application if the board see fit New Century\u2019s bid to occupy the abandoned facility.<\/p>\n

Different views<\/p>\n

Tanapag residents who were given a chance to speak were split, with some supporting the project, while others voicing opposition due to the proximity to the school and other areas like the youth center and basketball court.<\/p>\n

Ignacia Evangelista, a longtime resident of Tanapag, opposes the project since it is right across the school. \u201cLet\u2019s keep in mind the safety of the kids, the students, and residents because of the expected traffic congestion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter what the traffic analysis says, it is different from reality. The project is not compatible with our surroundings. We have a basketball court, the youth center, the [Natibu Sports Association] building that caters to the youth.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pointed out that the Zoning board has already approved two hotel projects in one year. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now we are accommodating another in our village? You approved a bed-and-breakfast for 18 units with 20 parking spaces. Now the proposed [project] is 48 units with 36 parking spaces. \u2026We don\u2019t want this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sheila Babauta, who is running as an independent bet for one of two seats in Precinct 4, questioned setting up a hotel in the village. \u201cFor many years it was an apartment building. Right now, we are experiencing a high demand for apartment units. I wonder if the board asked the developer why they felt the need to turn the building into a hotel. We have a high demand for apartment units. And we don\u2019t know what would be the impact of the traffic analysis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bud White, who is also a village resident, said they have a petition that was started by Tiara Evangelista. \u201cWe have been circulating a petition in paper and on the internet and about 270 have signed up. I know the developer has spent money\u2026but this is not the right thing to do since it is across the school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tiara Evangelista said the petition is legitimate and she started it about seven hours before the public hearing. \u201cWe have our reasons why we are opposed to the project and I am sorry that some who signed the petition weren\u2019t able to come here at such a short notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Supporters of the project, like Benigno Magofna Sablan, said he sees the business activity that would result from the project. \u201cI\u2019m a senior member of the village and I am in support of the proposal. I really wanted to see community enhancement through all of the business activities. \u2026I urge you to approve the investment opportunity in our village.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rep. Alice Igito (R-Saipan), who is running for re-election in Precinct 4, expressed her support in a letter read by Tanapag Community Enhancement Association official Juan I. Tenorio.<\/p>\n

She said the property opened in 1990 as a commercial building that was an apartment, grocery store, Laundromat, and a poker game room. \u201cThe CNMI economy was booming in the 1990s so the businesses operations at the building was busy. The traffic was extra busy since the poker room was operated for 24 hours, seven days a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe proposed transformation of the Sebastian Building into the New Century Hotel for 48 rooms will not in any way cause traffic congestion that will hamper the daily operations of the Tanapag Middle School, the Tanapag village, the [other] villages in the north, and other businesses in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI further believe that the proposed hotel project will definitely provide employment opportunity to the residents, most especially those with transportation problems, contribute to social events in the village, and perhaps educational support to the middle school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jonathan Camacho, whose grandfather owns the property, questioned the legitimacy of the petition and asked why most of the people who signed it are not present at the meeting. \u201cThere\u2019s about 290 that have signed the petition but most of the people are unaware of what\u2019s going on in the meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see more than 200 here. If this petition is truly [legitimate], there are only 10 who are [opposed to the project]. If people don\u2019t want development for this small hotel to be built, [then] stand up. I don\u2019t see that much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former Precinct 4 representative George Camacho said he supports the project. \u201cI\u2019m also a resident of Tanapag. \u2026I\u2019m no traffic expert but I don\u2019t see the hotel proposal to be devastating. Garapan Elementary School is surrounded by hotels.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTraffic happens usually after school and it won\u2019t be a big thing. This was a former poker arcade and, given a choice of a hotel that is lit at night and spruced up, I take the small hotel with 48 rooms any day rather than have a dilapidated building.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rep. Vinnie Sablan (Ind-Saipan), who is running for senator in this year\u2019s elections, supported the planned development and the property is listed as village commercial. \u201cI leave it up to the board to decide. I do really hope their [investor] partnership with the community won\u2019t be a one-time thing but it would continue to benefit both.<\/p>\n

Community involvement<\/p>\n

Tony Mu\u00f1a, a consultant of the investor, assured that traffic won\u2019t be a problem since their expected guests would be arriving during non-peak hours. \u201cAs to the project itself, it will be located not within the village itself but along Chalan Pale Arnold Road. By hotel standards, it is a small one.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will not be intrusive to the everyday goings-on in Tanapag village\u2026 It will have 48 rooms and 36 vehicle parking spaces. The traffic is during non-peak hours as package tours guests will be bused in from the airport to the hotel. They would arrive at the hotel between 1:30pm to 6:30pm. The departure would be from 11pm and 5:30am.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added the investor is also committed to helping Tanapag through community projects. \u201cNew Century recognizes that and is willing to make contributions to maintain or improve the quality of life of Tanapag residents and be a good business resident of the village.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pointed out that New Century has already sponsored or made a contribution to the local baseball team and they would do it annually. They are also willing to renovate and maintain the village\u2019s basketball court, while also building spectators seats. Docomo Pacific\u2019s antennae would remain on top of the building so it won\u2019t disrupt the cellular and internet services.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After a lengthy public hearing, the Commonwealth Zoning board approved Monday night the conditional use…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":277688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[310,21501,67,1785],"class_list":["post-277687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","tag-basketball","tag-new-century-hotel","tag-people","tag-tanapag-middle-school"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=277687"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277687\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/277688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=277687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=277687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=277687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}