Costa Rica seeks to live up to developed cities that allow outdoor trade

Many developed cities in the world allow businesses such as restaurants, bars and related.

A proposal intends that Costa Rica is at the height of these cities and allows businesses to use sidewalks, boulevards, parks and squares for their commercial activities, as long as public spaces are respected.

Read more: commerce and employment in frank recovery, but without approaching pre pandemia levels

Offer shops affected by the Covid-19 pandemic an alternative to reactivate their economy and have ventilated and outdoor spaces, to reduce contagion by this virus, it is the objective of this initiative launched in September 2020 by a groupof deputies.

Pablo Heriberto Abarca, Roberto Thompson and Paola Vega, with the collaboration of the urban planner and founder of Naturban Routes, Federico Cartín, were the architects of this proposal that had to wait more than 15 months to receive the endorsement of the Legislative Assembly.

And, for Roberto Thompson, this project is an experience that has been used for many years by developed cities around the world.

“This is an experience that in many other countries has been very successful, it is an experience that is demonstrated has increased the number of people, which is very consistent with the sanitary measures that have been demanded with distancing and ventilation;which has also achieved an important economic reactivation, ”said Thompson.

Read more: Pandemia impacted your business sales?These recommendations would help you recover

In addition, he pointed out that the initiative should not even require a bill, and that for many years the municipalities should have advanced in the issue of granting these permits to business.

Health Team Relations Has Skills!Listening to Heart Sounds and Learning How To Take An Apical Press #inmyclassroom https: // t.CO/J3JUSR9SNM

— Stephanie Ramsey Wed Nov 04 11:26:34 +0000 2015

With a similar position, legislator Pablo Heriberto Abarca said that Costa Rica should not have expected a pandemic to regulate activities of this type.

“I celebrate that an initiative has unanimously approved in the second debate that is an opportunity for municipalities and merchants to expand the activities and use of public spaces and that we can take advantage of our climate and our beauties to have an air trade in the airFree regulated, ”said Abarca.

It also called on other important sectors of the country to strengthen a proposal that comes to boost the commercial activity of many businesses that begin to recover and re -re -re -re -site.

Federico Cartín explained that the project has a series of important restrictions to make adequate use of public spaces, and that it will now be the municipalities who must work to create regulations with clear rules related to this issue.

“This is a huge opportunity for economic reactivation, of citizen security generation from the activation of public space and also an important accompaniment for restaurants and shops, for people who do not want to eat inside and want to make sure there are ventilated spaces”Cartin said.

This proposal does not create any rights of possession of the owners of the shops on the public roads or spaces, on the contrary, what it contemplates is a permit in special conditions that must regulate the municipalities.

For this reason, local governments will have a period of six months, after this law into force, to create the regulation that regulates the use of these spaces and the activities allowed in accordance with the new legislation.