According to the Law, the SNOT will be coordinated by the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD) and must guarantee that public investments respond to a reasonable balance between the different political-administrative units that make up the national territory.
SANTO DOMINGO.- The Law on Land Use, Territorial Planning and Human Settlements, approved last week by the Senate of the Republic, provides for the creation of the National System of Territorial Planning (SNOT), which will be the body that will be in charge of defining policies and priorities for the use and occupation of the territory in the country.
According to the Law, the SNOT will be coordinated by the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD) and must guarantee that public investments respond to a reasonable balance between the different political-administrative units that make up the national territory, as established by the "Alternative Wording", submitted and approved by the Senate.
The Senate of the Republic approved the Organic Law Project on Territorial Planning, Land Use and Human Settlements last Wednesday in its first reading. The president of the Bicameral Commission, Faride Raful, presented a report during the Senate session explaining that the commission had completed a consultation process of more than two years with different sectors of civil society and listened to their opinions, which were taken into consideration, achieving a significant consensus.
Although the modifications made were not specified, the document, of which El Inmobiliario has a copy, establishes that, in addition, the mechanisms for participation of the private sector and civil society in the formulation, evaluation and monitoring of the legal processes that are verified in the different categories of land uses must be fulfilled, in addition to ensuring compliance with the Law.
The document, in its article 14, establishes the advisory committees to provide technical and legal advice to the MEPyD and to take advantage of the experience of various sectors of society.
He explains that the Ministry of Economy will have a structure to supervise and evaluate the implementation of the National Territorial Planning Plan, both regional and municipal, and the proper functioning of the system.
At the municipal level, management will be in the hands of local governments, in coordination with sectoral entities.
Citizen participation is stipulated in article 17, which states that "the Executive Branch and local governments will create mechanisms for citizen participation, such as open town hall meetings, popular consultations, public hearings or other consultative and decision-making processes provided for in the law and in the regulations on territorial planning.".
It adds that in each municipality or municipal district, the Municipal Development Council can be used to integrate the territorial management advisory councils, which, according to the law, will be made up of businesspeople, community members, technicians, and specialists in urban planning and the environment
The bill was introduced by Senator Ricardo de los Santos Polanco Sánchez.
