With new mayors elected for the villages of Agat and Yona, Sen. Tommy Morrison sent a letter on Tuesday to Guam’s southern mayors calling for timely action on the Southern Development Master Plan (SDMP). Last year, Morrison authored several bills aimed at increasing public input on land use proposals. One of the measures, P.L. 33-145, recognizes the responsibility mayors have in helping to implement the nearly 30-year old SDMP law – with the involvement of families, regulatory agencies and community members.
“Our government can no longer be allowed to set aside the important task of establishing a master plan for southern Guam,” Morrison said . “Our families have been through enough this past year after learning about proposed large-scale projects in Agat and Yona. Moving forward, our southern mayors and other members of the SDMP Task Force must take into consideration the many concerns raised by residents and community organizations regarding potential impacts these and future projects have on our environment, public infrastructure network, village hearing requirements and compliance to zoning regulations.”
“As public hearings and other community conversations concerning the SDMP initiative are scheduled in the weeks and months ahead, we all have an opportunity to establish a shared vision with respect to future economic development. At the end of the day, the master plan must respect our environment, create real and sustainable opportunities for our families, and complement the established characters of our southern villages,” concluded Senator Morrison.
In addition to the respective mayors of Agat, Santa Rita, Umatac, Merizo, Inarajan, Talofofo and Yona, agency heads from the Bureau of Statistics and Plans, Guam Economic Development Authority, Department of Land Management, Guam Environmental Protection Agency and the Guam Visitors Bureau also serve as members of the SDMP Task Force.