Cebu city zoning ordinance left hanging

Cebu City Councilor Noel Wenceslao (standing, 3rd from left) shook the hands of his colleagues after losing his committee chairmanships last Wednesday. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

After being ousted as chairman of the urban planning committee, Cebu City  Councilor Noel Wenceslao said he worries about unfinished work.

He was preparing  proposed amendments in Cebu City’s 1996 zoning ordinance that were set to be finished and submitted in December for council approval.

“I don’t know what will happen now because we are already in the final stage of preparing the amended ordinance,” he said.

Wenceslao said the  zoning ordinance has to be “harmonized” with the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).

With Cebu City rapidly growing,  there  is a need to reclassify properties to make sure that developments are properly located in their  designated zones, he said.

Wenceslao said that he and city personnel working with him have been reviewing the land classification in the mountain barangays’ watershed areas.

Wenceslao, now a Team Rama member after breaking off in August  from the majority Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan,   was stripped of his committee chairmanship in Wednesday’s Council reorganization. He was replaced by BO-PK Councilor Alvin Arcilla.

Wenceslao’s chairmanship of the education committee was also given to Councilor Alvin Dizon.

“If the new chairman would yield, I want to help in making sure that the amendatory ordinance is completed and I will still sponsor it.  But If he (Arcilla) wants to resume the final draft of the ordinance, I’m also  okay with that,” he said.

Arcilla could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Cebu City councilors agreed last year on the need for the city to amend its Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) and the 18-year-old zoning ordinance. This would bar developers from starting any project without a permit from the Office of the Building Official.