Consultation tackling city’s land issues, set

Local officials will meet with their counterparts of the Environment and Natural Resources  and Human Settlements and Urban Development departments  on January 27 to assess current policies and formulate a roadmap in the disposition of the city’s alienable and disposable lands.

The whole-day joint consultation is spearheaded by Councilor Fred Bagbagen, chair of the local city council’s committee on urban planning, lands and housing.

In Wednesday’s regular management committee meeting led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong, City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) coordinator Donna Rillera-Tabangin said kinks to be ironed out include land applications with narrow roads or alleys and those with no access road.

Applications with proposed alleys  not connected to a road; buildings not compliant to National Building Code requirements; no parking space; lots with irregular shapes, less than 100 square meters , are within hazard areas, located along creeks and without easements;  among others, will also be tackled.

In her few months heading the CPDO, she observed that another challenge to be hurdled is the propensity of applicants to dictate the geometry of land disposition and urban development of the city.

“I believe that the CPDO and other concerned agencies must have a say or influence on the matter,” Tabangin stressed.

In the application for titling of lands, the process starts with the CPDO issuing a locational or zonal clearance of the lot before going to the DENR, she explained.

Tabangin said her office aims to take stock and study all land applications to ensure that these are in line with the city’s urban planning intentions.

“I hope that every issue will be resolved during the meeting  especially now that the city government is undertaking the upgrading of its land use plan and zoning ordinance,” she said.-Gaby B. Keith