FB MINEX FB MINEX FB MINEX Twitter Minex ISSUU Minex Press Reader Minex YouTube Minex

Friday, March 13, 2020

Cebu councilman pushes for green open parking spaces

CEBU CITY – City Councilor Gerry Guardo, chairman of the Committee on Infrastructure, said he is pushing for the passage of an ordinance that will require big commercial and industrial establishments to plant trees on open parking spaces.

City Councilor Jerry Guardo with Mayor Edgar Labella. (From Councilor Jerry Guardo Facebook Page.)


Guardo said the trees can provide for a shed to people who would walk from the open parking space to the establishment they want to visit. He said the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) in Cebu has expressed support for the proposed ordinance.

Quoting architect Jan Ann Frances Lee, of UAP, who appeared in a public hearing to discuss the draft Green Open Space Ordinance, Guardo said the soil absorbs rainwater that would reduce the risk of flooding during heavy rains.

“That’s why, being the chairman of the Committee on Infrastructure, I proposed that existing open parking spaces in malls, to those who would apply for permits, should be required to convert them into green spaces full of trees,” Guardo said.

In the proposed ordinance, commercial and industrial establishments such as malls, condominium buildings, and subdivisions, will be required to plant trees in their open parking areas. Engineers from the Office of the Building Officials (OBO) did not object to the draft measure, saying this can be beneficial to the residents.

In their position paper, the plans for green parking areas should undergo a review with the City Environment and Natural Resources. The OBO, however, proposed that 30 percent of the open parking spaces should be allocated for planted trees while structures that will have parking spaces should be required to allot 15 to 20 percent of the spaces for the trees.

“If they apply for permit, they should be required to plant trees in open parking spaces in malls, condominium units or in subdivisions. We need to change our policy so that building owners would construct structures with open parking spaces for the trees,” Guardo said. (John Rey Saavedra)


Like Us on Facebook: The Mindanao Examiner
Like Us on Facebook: The Zamboanga Post
Follow Us on Twitter: Mindanao Examine
Mirror Site: Mindanao Examiner Blog
Digital Archives: Mindanao Examiner Digital
Media Rates: Advertising Rates




No comments:

Post a Comment