Municipality urged to be more responsive to residents' needs<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An urban expert urged the municipality Saturday
\nto be more open-minded in dealing with several land-use
\nalteration cases, including the one in Kemang, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Mohammad Danisworo, head of the city's architecture team, said
\nthe municipality must be consistent in applying the land-use
\nregulation, but at the same time also be ready to face changes
\noccurring in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"The municipality must be more accommodating to residents'
\nneeds. It's time for the city to use urban design guidelines to
\nprevent land-use violations and to anticipate the quick pace of
\nchange in Jakarta,\" said Danisworo, who is also chairman of a
\nspecial team in charge of reassessing buildings in Kemang.<\/p>\n
\"Many land-use violations and alterations have already
\noccurred in Jakarta -- in Menteng, Central Jakarta, and
\nKebayoran, South Jakarta. The same thing is happening in Kemang,\"
\nhe told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
But Kemang had become a controversial issue because the
\nmushrooming of cafes would eventually disturb the area, a
\nresidential zone with many small roads, he said.<\/p>\n
These cases occurred because the city was facing a rapid urban
\nculture transformation, and that was one of the social processes
\nthat could not be stopped, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The rise in the number of cafes in Kemang is part of that
\nurban culture process, where people tend to have different
\nlifestyles. For instance, in the past, people rarely dined out.
\nNowadays, many people prefer to eat out.\"<\/p>\n
Therefore, the sprouting of cafes in Kemang, in which only 15
\npercent of the area is allowed for commercial sites, eventually
\nled to land-use violations. This happened because there has been
\ndemand for the cafes.<\/p>\n
Another similar case is the rising number of street vendors in
\nthe city.<\/p>\n
\"Sidewalk vendors' existence disturbs the flow of traffic. But
\nboth street vendors and cafes are needed by the people.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, the city must relocate them to a decent place
\nwhere such activities can grow well. It's useless to move them
\nwithout serious city planning. It will be the same with
\nidentifying the problems but not solving them,\" Danisworo said.<\/p>\n
Cafes and sidewalk vendors were part of society, he said. They
\nwere not a disease so the municipality should not be hostile
\ntoward their existence.<\/p>\n
\"Their appearance is the logical consequence of a growing city
\nlike Jakarta,\" he said. \"So I think the city's plan should be
\nbased more on a sociological approach, without abandoning the
\naspect of the human dynamic movement.\"<\/p>\n
Report<\/p>\n
\"We've already submitted our team's report regarding Kemang's
\nland use to the governor. Then it's up to the municipality to
\ndecide what to do with Kemang. I'm not authorized to announce it
\nbefore the governor's official statement on this matter,\"
\nDanisworo said.<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso offered hope to businesspeople in Kemang
\nlast month with his plan to change Kemang into a commercial zone.<\/p>\n
\"As long as the situation and conditions of Kemang are
\nconducive to redefining it as a commercial site and there are no
\nobjections from the people, yes, Kemang's status may change,\"
\nSutiyoso said after his visit to the South Jakarta mayoralty.<\/p>\n
The governor has ordered his officials to make a full
\nevaluation of the Kemang sites, before making any further
\ndecisions.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso's remarks may surprise some, including his
\npredecessor Surjadi Soedirdja, who finished his term as governor
\nlast month.<\/p>\n
The controversy over Kemang sparked the issuance of
\ninstructions March 18 that every building permit in the area --
\nwhich is dominated by cafes, restaurants, furniture shops, beauty
\nparlors, clinics and duty-free shops -- was to be checked.<\/p>\n
Municipality data shows that 90 percent of Kemang's buildings
\nhave been converted into commercial sites. Many businesses
\noperate with housing permits instead of commercial ones. (07)<\/p>",
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