Escazú Passes Regulatory Plan for Development

THE Escazú Municipal Council haspassed a long-awaited Regulatory Plan tomanage uncontrolled, rapid developmentin the town southwest of San José.The plan, which establishes height anddensity limits for the neighborhoods ofEscazú, will go into effect once it is publishedin the official government newspaperLa Gaceta. This could happen in thenext two weeks, a municipal official said.Originally proposed in 1996, the planwas finally approved Dec. 17, to the reliefof residents who have seen construction ofcondominiums and other buildings skyrocketin the last ten years.Until now, development has had tofollow only national laws regulating urbandevelopment, under the GreaterMetropolitan Area Plan (Plan GAM),which Escazú engineers say are very flexible(TT, July 16, 2004).