The city of Curitiba presented a bill that should update the understanding about the use of parks and environmental areas in the city for various activities. The project even provides for the charging of fees for holding events in these locations.
The text was filed at the City Council, on February 12, and revokes two laws municipal, one from the year 2000 (9,804) . So in another one from 2017 (15,047), which provide for the Municipal System of Conservation Units of Curitiba (SMUC). According to the city hall, the justification is “to present an updated version and integrated to the aspects of the Master Plan”.
Sustainable areas and conservation
The proposal can be considered by the Legal Prosecutor's Office (Projuris) of the Chamber as early as next week, before going to the Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ). If accepted, it goes to the other collegiate bodies. In practice, Mayor Rafael Greca (DEM) wants to classify conservation units in two different classifications, according to what is already proposed by federal law, but which was outdated in Curitiba. These would be the areas of sustainable use and those that are conservation units.
As explained in the text, those of sustainable use are the so-called Environmental Protection Areas (APAs), like the APAs of Passaúna and Iguaçu, where there are parks and also places of commerce and housing. The law wants to harmonize nature conservation with the sustainable use of resources, reconciling the presence of people in these protected areas.
In this group, activities linked to the collection and use of natural resources would be allowed. “As long as they are practiced in a way that maintains constant renewable environmental resources and ecological processes”.
The article delegates to the Municipal Secretariat for the Environment (SMMA) the control of the “social use” of conservation units. As well as in artistic, cultural, leisure, health, sports and environmental events, or non-profit activities and actions.
FMMA coatings
Public rates or prices would be established, in legislation or regulation, reverted to the Municipal Environmental Fund (FMMA). For the use of spaces in conservation units, according to the specificity of the event or activity and the area to be used.
A public price may also be set for access to municipal parks and specific conservation units, “with the aim of promoting the maintenance and conservation” of these areas.
The city hall explains that the possible collection of fees should be concentrated in large events, mainly in those that demand commitment with the maintenance of the places, by the organization.
Because, when this maintenance is not done properly, the municipality ends up being responsible for the work, which burdens the public coffers. The idea of charging for usage would apply in these cases. According to the proposed text, the funds eventually obtained would be applied to “improvements, new equipment and maintenance of the unit itself”.
