Santa Cruz Council Scraps Building Rules After Regional Challenge
Santa Cruz City Council's urban planning department has removed two sections, including one that allowed balconies, from its new building regulations to settle a legal challenge from the regional government.
The Santa Cruz City Council's urban planning department has removed two sections from its new building regulations, specifically from articles 6.2.3 and 7.2.5. These rules were originally approved on February 28.
The change came after the regional government challenged the regulations in court, at the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC). The regional government argued that these two specific rules covered issues that should be part of the broader General Urban Plan, not local building rules.
To resolve the dispute and stop the court case, the planning department agreed with the regional government to make the necessary changes. These amendments were officially announced yesterday in the Official Gazette of the Province (BOP).
As a result, the last paragraph of section 8 of article 6.2.3 has been eliminated. This part, which was new to the ordinance, had allowed balconies or other projecting structures on the exterior of new homes. Also removed is section 3 of article 7.2.5, which concerned changing buildings into residential housing and modifying existing houses listed in the Building catalog.