Zoning Board Tells Rotary Site for Pools Need to Be Re-Zoned

The ball is back in the Rotary Club of Pago Pago’s court.

In the latest development concerning the club’s swimming pool project, the Territorial Zoning Board has unanimously voted to invalidate the recent denial of Rotary’s variance application for the pool project and return their application.

Another way of putting is the Zoning Board is not acting on the club’s new application for a variance.

Rotary attorney Roy Hall Jr’s last week wrote to the Zoning Board saying that the club’s application for a variance is moot because the area where the pools are to be built are already zoned for recreation.

But the Zoning Board takes a different view.

The area is now a watershed conservation zone and according to a member of the Zoning Board the last correspondence from the club, through its attorney Hall, asked for a rezoning of the area.

A March 17th letter from Zoning Board Chairman Filifaatali Mike Fuiava to the Rotary Club President Utu Abe Malae said, “Your variance application did not seek a variance, rather it requested the Zoning Board rezone an area from watershed conservation to Recreation Conservation.

“The area in question has not been zoned, and is declared in the Watershed Conservation Zone.

“A request to rezone an area requires a formal written proposal to the Zoning Board.

“This proposal should: 1) identify the targeted land area by name/description; 2) type of zone requested and 3) proposed activities.

“Unfortunately, your application while presented as a variance, is clearly marked as a request to rezone.

“You may submit a rezoning proposal, or you may resubmit your application as a variance application using the Zoning Board application.

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