New Zoning chair opposes bill to abolish agency, cites quorum and staffing challenges

Newly elected Commonwealth Zoning Board chair Eleanor Alinas said she does not support legislation proposing to abolish the zoning board, saying the agency plays a critical role in maintaining order and protecting the community.

“I don’t agree that there should be no zoning board, and no zoning law. It does not make sense,” Alinas said. “To me, that creates, like, chaos and disorder,” she said. “Without a zoning law and a zoning agency to administer that, I think it will be…a free-for-all for anyone and any business.”

Alinas, who has been chair for about 12 days, acknowledged public frustration with zoning processes but said the agency serves an essential purpose.

“I personally think, and as the chairman of the board, that the zoning agency, it performs a very important role in the community,” she said. “It’s only been about 12 days since I was elected, so naturally, right now, it’s a very exciting time, and it’s just this wonderful opportunity for me to serve as the chairperson of the zoning board,” Alinas said.

“It’s a position that’s very important to the community, and I truly understand the value that this agency brings and that the board brings to the community, and we take this very, very seriously,” she added.

Alinas identified quorum as the board’s most pressing concern. The Zoning Board is required to have seven members but has been operating with six, with the terms of treasurer Steve Sablan and board member Charlotte Cepeda set to expire within days.

She said the zoning office has already requested action from the Governor’s Office.

“The zoning office, with the approval of the board, has submitted a letter to the Governor’s Office, essentially requesting the reappointment of the two board members that I just mentioned,” she said.

As of the Feb. 3 special meeting, no response had been received.

“We haven’t gotten any feedback yet from the governor’s office. Hopefully, we will get that feedback soon,” Alinas said.

Without sufficient membership, the board cannot act.

“By law, the board has to have four members present in order to have quorum,” she said. “And if we don’t meet that quorum, then by law, we cannot vote on anything.”

Aside from Alinas, Sablan, and Cepeda, current board members include former chair Henry Hofschneider, vice chair Michael Evangelista, and secretary Steve Jang.

Alinas said transparency and compliance will guide the board’s work, beginning with required audits and financial oversight.

“Our priority, really, is to be as transparent as possible in how we do or conduct our business,” she said.

“And the first order of the day for us would be to perform the audits that are necessary, and that are required by law, to make sure that we comply with that,” she said.

She said she has requested financial records from the office.

“I’ve requested from the office…documents that pertains to our financial standing, and the expenditure,” Alinas said. “That’s one of our tasks, is to oversee the board expenditure authority of the agency.”

During the Feb. 3 special meeting, the board also unanimously voted to extend Hubert Alepuyo’s acting capacity as zoning administrator “to the furthest extent allowable by law or when a new administrator is hired, whichever comes first,” citing concerns that expiring board terms could result in the loss of quorum.

Alepuyo reported that the zoning administrator job vacancy announcement had been posted with a Feb. 11 closing date, but no applications had been received as of the meeting. The board unanimously approved requesting the Office of Personnel Management to convert the vacancy announcement to a rolling posting after Feb. 11 if no applicants apply.

Despite ongoing staffing and appointment challenges, Alinas said the board remains committed to addressing public concerns.

“The board is working, you know, as hard as we can to make sure that we address the concerns that the public has on the processes of zoning,” Alinas said.