The city of Porto Alegre maintains the forecast, announced more than a year ago, to send to the Chamber the bill that changes the Master Plan still in 2023. But the vote should only take place in 2024 and the mayor Sebastião Melo (MDB) recognizes the possibility – asked, at the opening of the evaluation conference held last week, if the vote would be this year, he replied that “if it depends on our will, yes; but the time of the Chamber, the Executive cannot and must not intervene”.
If the text is voted on next year, the government will overcome the previous revision, which reached the Legislature in September 2007 and was approved more than two years later, on November 30, 2009. That was the first revision of the Master Plan in force, dated 1999. 432 amendments were presented, which included proposals from councilors and the Forum of Entities (which brings together civil society organizations within the scope of the Chamber). The sanction was in 2010, with some points being updated in 2011.
Melo understands the procedure well, as he was a councilor and presided over the House that year. So much so that, still in 2022, he mobilized the base to create a special commission, which will start work in the coming weeks, in parallel with the city hall process. With that, the mayor believes that “when we arrive (with the project) in the City Council, it will have maturity on most of the themes” and understands that, with this, the parliament will not need to “start from square one”.
Even so, the Chief Executive already expects changes, attributing to councilors the “condition to improve” the matter, either by their own understanding or to meet the demand of different sectors of society. “The political forces that appear here (at the conference) and that are sometimes defeated, will appear there in the Chamber to try to reverse their positions, and that is legitimate”, he declared. And, even speaking for the construction of a Master Plan that “would not have to change it two days later”, Melo states that “it is not the intention and will not be possible” to demand that the government’s proposal be followed strictly, which “would be even disrespectful to the legislature”.
Next step
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
In broad terms, it deals with the relationship between the Master Plan and the promotion of the population’s quality of life, involving the themes of social inclusion and access to social rights. Issues related to populations in vulnerable situations, the gender perspective in the urban space and local cultural manifestations are also part of this discussion, as well as issues related to indigenous communities, social housing and land regularization.
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
It addresses, in the sphere of the Master Plan, the qualification of the territory from the perspective of valuing the environment. It involves themes related to sustainability, adaptation to climate change and pollution. It also encompes issues related to green areas, areas of environmental interest, risk areas and areas with environmental liabilities, among others, and discusses public policies aimed at encouraging ecological solutions and integrating the urban and environmental spheres in territorial planning.
CULTURAL HERITAGE
It deals with the Master Plan’s relationship with the valuation of real estate and intangible ets of significant value, cultural manifestations, cultural memory, traditions and local identity. It also concerns the relationships between natural and cultural ets, considering current political, cultural and social dynamics.
MOBILITY AND TRANSPORT
In broad terms, it deals with aspects of the Master Plan that influence the qualification of urban mobility, meeting the different needs of the population regarding displacements in the city. Issues related to the qualification of public space, road axes and hierarchy, encumbrances and road profile, modes of transport, universal accessibility, sustainable mobility, road safety, use of technology, among others, are also part of this thematic axis.
PERFORMANCE, STRUCTURE AND URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
It comprises aspects of the Master Plan related to land use and occupation, dealing with issues such as density, sustainability, public spaces, urban equipment, urban infrastructure networks, consolidated city and land tenure regularization. Issues related to urban form, such as the performance of buildings in terms of comfort, lighting, ventilation and sun, as well as the regulating plan, verticalization and miscegenation, are also part of this axis.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
In broad terms, it encompes aspects of the Master Plan that are related to incentives for the economic development of the territory, training and the generation of employment and income. Issues such as strengthening existing productive arrangements and encouraging new arrangements, considering development trends and existing potential in the Municipality, are also part of this axis.
CITY MANAGEMENT
In broad terms, it addresses the roles of the Master Plan in city management and municipal urban planning, encomping issues such as public policies and planning instruments, social participation and monitoring of urban development.