SP to tackle city’s new land use measure

THE Davao City Comprehensive Land Use Plan (Clup) is among measures that members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod will tackle in today’s regular session.

Councilor Arnulfo Cabling said the final draft of the Clup will introduce new features, like imposing administrative fines against violators.

Cabling said the Clup comes in three volumes – the textual presentation, zoning ordinance that will serve as the implementation of the plan, and the sectoral studies which has the demography and economic set up analyses.

“Among the three, the second volume which is the zoning ordinance will serve as the teeth of the land use plan,” he said.

This is the first time the city finally completed a land use plan after the 1996 plan had long become irrelevant.

The Clup includes the prohibition for reclassification of some areas in the city within a 10-year period.

Cabling said areas under the general zone with no reclassification for 10 years are forest zone, conservation zone, agricultural and pasture land, agricultural non-tillage, prime agricultural, agri-pasture, open space easement, buffer green zone, parks and recreation, urban areas, and agro-industrial

zones.

The exemption for reclassification only applies to landslide-prone and floodprone areas, which are also under the general zones, but there is also a need to apply for an existing non-conforming permit.

“Meaning, they can continue doing business but can no longer expand,” Cabling said, referring to areas that are flood-and landslideprone.

Other salient features of the Clup is the floor area ratio to open space, stricter traffic impact assessment, green architecture, rain water harvesting and among others. ANC