Many houses violate height rule: Agency

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The City Spatial Agency said on Wednesday that there have been increasing reports of residential buildings violating the 12- meter maximum height regulation and urged related agencies to deal firmly with such violations.

"Until such time as we revise the bylaw, residences more than two floors in height are simply in violation of the regulations. And, the City Construction Supervision and Regulation Agency (P2B) has to take action against such violations," City Spatial Agency head Nurfakih Wirawan told reporters at City Hall.

Article 88 of Bylaw No. 7/1991 on buildings in Jakarta states that a residential building is only allowed to have a maximum height at its rooftop of 12 meters.

The same article, however, tolerates certain residential buildings that have been granted a gubernatorial decrees to have higher rooftops for ornamental purposes.

"Since the governor has yet to issue such a decree (on higher residential buildings), we stick to the bylaw by banning houses with more than two floors," Nurfakih said.

He admitted that the administration was considering revising the bylaw to allow people to build higher residential buildings.

"But, it will only apply in new residential estates, not existing ones," he said.

City councillor Muhayar blamed the rampant violations partly to poor monitoring by the P2B.

"Violations are rampant in Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta, on Jl. Daan Mogot in West Jakarta and Jl. Bekasi Barat in East Jakarta," he said.

He urged the administration to take immediate action against violators, saying tall houses damage aesthetic values in neighborhoods.

He also said that some residents had converted their houses for commercial purposes, raising safety concerns as most houses did not comply with stricter safety requirements for commercial buildings.

East Jakarta Mayor Koesnan Abdul Halim acknowledged that many residences within his jurisdiction were in violation of the bylaw.

"We have taken action against a residence on Jl. Cipinang Cempedak for violating the bylaw recently. We are planning to impose sanctions on violators," he said.

According to the bylaw, any violations of the bylaw carries a maximum sentence of three months in prison or a fine of Rp 50 million.

In addition, the bylaw also stipulates that offenders have to shoulder either part or all of the cost of enforcing the law, including the cost of demolishing residences.