Bill No. 320-38 (COR) aims to legalize certain nonconforming dwellings constructed on commercial-zoned lots in Guam and to establish a new zoning designation called Commercial-Mixed (CM) Zone. The bill recognizes multi-family, duplex, and single-family residential buildings built on commercial lots prior to December 31, 2000, as lawful and conforming structures, thereby eliminating the need for variances or conditional use permits for their continued use, sale, or financing. It also seeks to ease housing shortages by allowing both commercial and residential structures on the same lot without requiring landowners to seek zoning variances.

The bill includes several key provisions: it amends Section 62101(a) of Chapter 61, Title 21 of the Guam Code Annotated to add the new CM Zone designation, and it introduces new sections 61527 and 61314 to clarify the legalization process for nonconforming buildings and the permitted uses within the new CM Zone. The legislation aims to streamline the approval process for existing structures, reduce bureaucratic delays, and ultimately increase the housing supply on the island, particularly benefiting families and the elderly.

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