Participation in Bauru master plans, Brazil: analysis of the historical evolution of the consultation process

Abstract

In Brazil, a policy on citizen participation and consultation in urban intervention programs, in particular in the development of master plans, was first introduced into the Federal Constitution in 1988. This article presents an historical reconstitution of Master Plans in Bauru – State of São Paulo – Brazil. The 1968, 1988 and 2005/2006 consultation methods are analyzed using established criteria. The degree of community participation in the processes is estimated by drawing on a typology based on the level of involvement by residents. The effects of participation caused by changes in political regime, technical planning vision, legal support to consultation, recognition of community importance and knowledge acquired during the process are highlighted and discussed.

Keywords:

• Citizen participation,
• participative process,
• master plans

Résumé

La participation citoyenne est instrumentalisée au Brésil depuis 1988, date à laquelle la constitution fédérale a réglementé la participation dans les programmes d’urbanisme, plus spécifiquement dans le développement des schémas directeurs. Cet article présente une reconstitution historique des schémas directeurs développés à Bauru – Etat de Sao Paolo – Brésil. D’abord, les méthodes de consultation participative de 1968, 1988 et 2005/2006 sont comparées à l’aide d’une grille d’analyse. Ensuite, le degré de participation communautaire aux processus est estimé par l’application d’une typologie fondée sur le niveau de participation des habitants. Enfin, nous proposons de mettre en évidence et de discuter les effets produits par les changements de coalitions d’acteurs au pouvoir, de l’approche de la planification stratégique, du cadre juridique dans lequel s’inscrit la consultation participative, de la reconnaissance de l’importance de la communauté et du savoir-faire acquis au long du processus.

Mots-clés :

• Participation citoyenne,
• processus participatif,
• plans directeurs

Notes

• [1] The Statute of the City aims to regulate the chapter on urban policy found in the 1988 Constitution. “Resulting from an intense negotiation process which lasted more than ten years, within and beyond the National Congress, the Statute confirmed and widened the fundamental legal-political role of municipalities in the formulation of guidelines for urban planning, as well as in conducting the process of urban development and management” (Rolnik, s.d., p. 11).
• [2] According to information issued by the Ministry of Cities in a research conducted in October and November of 2006, 1622 out of the 1682 municipalities who accepted to update their Master Plans had begun the process. (Burgos, 2007, p. 134).
• [3] The Cities Council is linked to the Ministry of Cities, and comprises representatives from all federal, state, and municipal public agencies and civil society through many segments (community groups, unions, academic bodies and NGOs).
• [4] In the late 1960’s, when experiences of citizen participation appear in the USA and Europe, Sherry Arnstein published an article in which she questions the degree of citizen participation in decision-making processes. An eight rung typology called “Ladder of citizen participation” is proposed.. Starting from the bottom rung, Arnstein labels them according to the level of population decision power: (1) Manipulation, (2) Therapy, (3) Informing, (4) Consultation, (5) Placation, (6) Partnership, (7) Delegated Power, (8) Citizen Control.
• [5] Bauru is a town with 370 000 inhabitants in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
• [6] Engineer José Cardoso Neto gave exclusive interviews to the authors in December 2007 and April 2008, not published.
• [7] The City Hall architect had taken part in the development of the Master Plan while a student of architecture at USP.
• [8] The description of the procedures used in the elaboration process of Bauru Participative Master Plan is based on Prefeitura Municipal Bauru, s.d.