Three missing components

1
SAN JOSE Three missing components for a
sustainable future
Royeé Alvarez C
Urbanism Department June, 2006
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SAN JOSE Three missing components for a
sustainable future
Country Profile
Costa Rica is the third smallest country in
Central America, with the second smallest total
population Area 51.100km2 Population
4.500.265 Capital San Jose
AMSJ Characteristics

• Area 499.23 m2
• (around 60 of it for urban use)
• Population 1.2 million aprox.
• (around 40 of the country's population)
• The AMSJ is integrated by 14 counties (within
  the GAM)

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SAN JOSE Three missing components for a
sustainable future
Components
SANJOSEs long term sustainability plan face
three main obstacles
ENVIRONMENTAL
AMSJ Multi-stakeholder
ORGANIZATION
INSTRUMENTS
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SAN JOSE Three missing components for a
sustainable future
Environmental
The AMSJ-geographic location have many strategic
aspects for its development, however there is a
lack of integrality on this structure
particularly with its Urban functionality.
Natural Reserve
Needs -Common vision among stakeholders -Better
use of rivers -Protection / responsibilities -Bett
er legal frame
Central Volcanic mountain chain
Winds
Natural Reserve
Natural Reserve
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SAN JOSE Three missing components for a
sustainable future
Instruments
SAN JOSEs rigid urban model and the current
legal framework needs to enjoy forces to
implement a functional urban region, especially
on fiscal and control aspects.
Needs -Use of license (patent) as management
tool, instead tributary. -Integration among
uses. -More legal responsibilities and penalties.
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SAN JOSE Three missing components for a
sustainable future
Organization
In Costa Rica's the political structure is
centralized, which means small decision making to
local governments. However, AMSJ is looking for
sustainable initiatives to improves their quality
of living in long terms.
Main aspects
1.5 Local 98.5 Central

• Budget
• To unify objectives
• Long term vision
• Scale adequacy
• Strategic economic vision

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June, 2006
SAN JOSE Three missing components for a
sustainable future
Royeé Alvarez C
Thank you !