Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan

Public Law 20-20 directs the Office of Planning and Development to support the preparation of a “CNMI comprehensive sustainable development plan (CSDP), which shall provide short and long-range guidance for the economic, infrastructure, and physical development of the CNMI, and which shall contain a statement of development objectives, standards, and principles with respect to the most desirable use of land within the CNMI for residential, recreational, agricultural, commercial, industrial, and other uses completely serviced by an access and circulation network and infrastructure consistent with proper protection to enhance the quality of the environment and preserve the CNMI’s natural beauty and historical heritage” P.L. 20-20 § 20173(a). The 2019-2020 Resources Report, which provides the baseline data and initial planning element-specific recommendations for the CSDP is available here.

Contents of the Plan

  • Land Use and Regulations
  • Public Lands & Facilities, Infrastructure, & Buildings
  • Housing, Redevelopment, & Community Design
  • Transportation
  • Conservation, Natural Resource Use, & Recreation
  • Safety from Natural and Man-made Hazards
  • Tourism, Job Training, and Labor Work Force
  • Development Policy
  • Capital Improvements
  • Policies for Socio-economic and human resource development, natural resource development, environmental protection, historical and cultural preservation, public safety, housing, community development, education, land use and population growth, visitor industry, and other areas deemed appropriate by the Planning and Development Advisory Council (PDAC). P.L. 20-20 § 20176(a)-(r)

You can learn more about the planning process here.

Draft Visioning elements were published for public comment in the summer of 2020, and were revised based on comments received as reflected in the documents below.

Planning elements and goals were discussed at the September 2020 Task force meetings, and additional feedback was incorporated into the full draft CSDP, which was published for an initial round of public notice and comment in the winter of 2020. That draft is available here. A final plan is currently in development with the goal to complete updates and publish for additional public feedback in early 2021.
Back to Current Projects