BAGUIO CITY – The Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) has ratified this city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) which charts the city’s physical and economic development from 2013-2023, Mayor Mauricio Domogan told the PNA in an interview on Monday.
Domogan, who presented the plan to the HLURB in November, said the Board through Resolution No. 959 series of 2017 dated Nov. 27, unanimously approved the plan and its implementing ordinance, giving the city the imprimatur to implement the same.
The CLUP, its sectoral studies for year 2013-2023 and the amended zoning ordinance entitled “Adopting the Revised Comprehensive Zoning Regulations for the City of Baguio and Providing for the Administration, Enforcement and Amendment thereof and for the Repeal of all Ordinances in Conflict therewith” which serves as the CLUP’s implementing tool, were approved by the city council in 2016.
The mayor said the CLUP emphasized the development policies and regulations and maintenance of the geo-physical integrity of the city pursuing sustainable development at levels following resources carrying capacities.
Also included in the CLUP is the enhancement or improvement of the natural landscape and aesthetics of the area as a primary consideration in the introduction of any land uses, structures and other developments; preservation and enhancement of natural resources (air, water, forest) to their best and sustainable uses; preservation or restoration of cultural heritage or historical or scientific sites and resources at their pristine status;
Decongestion of highly dense areas following standard levels; provision of efficient and effective circulation or access and other urban development services or facilities or utilities in all governance units in accordance to their roles and functions in the overall city development; and land uses shall conform or complement the development roles of adjacent municipalities in the province of Benguet and the region in general.
Baguio is bounded by the municipalities of La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay (LISTT).
City planning and development officer Evelyn Cayat earlier said the CLUP which was the product of years of study and consultations with the various sectors of society, aside from gearing toward attaining sustainable development, also guides, controls and regulates the “development of the city, protects the character of the different identified zones, promotes and protects the health, safety, peace, comfort and convenience and the general welfare of our people as well as our unique environment.”
Under the CLUP, land uses were designated and were zoned as residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, watersheds or forest reservation, parks and others.
The permitted uses of each zone were also spelled out in the plan.
To decongest the central business district, commercial zones were designated at the outskirts like in Naguilian Road, Marcos Highway and Barangays Irisan and Camp 7.
There were also rules for the preservation of the watershed and forest reservations.
Moreover, the plan enhanced the disaster risk reduction management of the city with vulnerability profiling which describes the city’s topography and slope, drainage, flood points location, geology, landslide susceptibility and sinkholes and all were analyzed in coming up with the land use flood points location, geology, landslide susceptibility and sinkholes and all were analyzed in coming up with the land use map.
The city’s land use plan is implemented through the zoning ordinance which was also approved by the city council through Ordinance No. 63 series of 2016. (PNA)
