Reform of the Urban Planning Law

The Urban Planning Law of Costa Rica, in effect since 1968, has undergone few reforms in over five decades. However, the Legislative Assembly is currently processing Bill No. 23829, which seeks to implement a comprehensive reform to modernise urban regulations and address issues that have remained pending for years.

The most significant change in the project is related to the strengthening of municipal autonomy. Specifically, it establishes the express and exclusive delegation to municipalities to approve cantonal regulatory plans, which represents a significant shift from the current model, where multiple governmental institutions participate in the process.

This change would have a direct impact on the speed of approval of regulatory plans, which currently can take several years to complete due to the complexity of procedures and inter-institutional reviews. Moreover, the new structure would allow regulatory plans to be more rapidly adjusted to changes in urban life and the evolving needs of cities.

The initiative constitutes a key step towards updating Costa Rica's legal urban framework, aligning territorial planning with contemporary challenges of sustainable development, demographic growth, and adaptation to new social and economic dynamics.