Thursday, June 28, 2007 City planning officer wants to slow down projects in 7 more northern barangays
PLANNING Officer Nigel Paul Villarete wants the Cebu City Council to issue a moratorium on development projects not only in the Barangay Banilad area, where the Capitol’s Ciudad project is, but up to Barangay Binaliw, where subdivisions are sprouting.
His request, though, was not acted upon by the council. It took note instead of his promise to present to the body the findings and recommendations on the Banilad area traffic study.
The council last February passed a resolution requesting the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) to study the traffic situation in Banilad. It also imposed a moratorium that affected the Ciudad project’s development.
The study was to be in coordination with the City Traffic Operations Management, Department of Engineering and Public Works, and other government and nongovernment organizations.
In his memorandum dated June 18 to the City Council, Villarete wanted an expanded coverage of the moratorium to “serve as a brake, such that activities may be slowed down while this office is winding up the study on the development scenario of the area.”
He suggested that the moratorium cover both sides of Gov. Cuenco Ave. from the Salinas Drive intersection up to Barangay Talamban, and include the entire barangays of Banilad, Talamban, San Jose, Bacayan, Budla-an, Pit-os, Pulangbato and Binaliw.
“May we…respectfully request that the honorable Sanggunian pass a resolution imposing a moratorium on, and suspend issuance of permits to proposed development projects in the area,” Villarete asked.
He assured that that a moratorium “will not mean a stoppage of all development efforts” but will simply slow things down.
He said his office has long harbored “lingering apprehensions on the seemingly fast and rapid physical development of the ‘Talamban cluster’ and its robust urban growth.”
In yesterday’s session, Vice Mayor Michael Rama asked whether they should act on Villarete’s request.
But City Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera said there was no need because Villarete was merely informing them that his office is almost done with the traffic study the council had requested.
