Planning Tool Mosaic (PTM): A Platform for Italy, a Country Without a Strategic Framework

Abstract

The following work proposes the utilisation of a technical device named “Planning Tool Mosaic” (PTM), defined as a total homogeneous and standardised framework for the principles contained in municipal regulatory plans: the assignment of zoning, legends, and technical rules. The 300,000 km2-broad national territory is divided into nearly 8000 municipalities. Each of them refers to a distinct regulatory plan and then to a distinct regulation on local buildings, infrastructure, and social services. This level of planning tool is the one that has most impact on the territory. This highly fragmented scenario should be driven by upper-level regulation. Although protocols and guidelines are in force, they are almost irrelevant compared to the impact of regulation at the local level. This process is a European example of city planning mismanagement that needs to be brought to the broader attention of the European technical/scientific context. The PTM, though intervening when municipal plans are already in effect, introduces an element of social and political transparency to planning before transformative events occur. It also provides a continuous framework on the probable future of territories, thereby overcoming the current opacity with regard to public cognition of future arrangements.

Ecosystem Services Multifunctionality: An Analytical Framework to Support Sustainable Spatial Planning in Italy

“…Consistent with the European context where the urban conversion rate in the period 2000-2018 was 1790 km 2 /year [42], and according to the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) [43], the study area is characterized by relevant criticalities in terms of land take trends [34,35,44], especially in peri-urban and urban areas, where artificial surfaces are increasing to the detriment of natural and semi-natural areas.…”

Land Use Changes and Ecosystem Services: The Case Study of the Abruzzo Region Coastal Strip

“…Furthermore, urban transformations affecting the coastal areas are implemented today by each municipal authority within its area of responsibility without an overview or even a prior assessment of the effects in terms of ES and on-shoreline dynamics. From this point of view, the first measure to be taken could be to implement a PTM (Planning Tool Mosaic) aimed at the knowledge of what are the settlement choices of all the territories involved thus allowing to outline of the possible settlement scenario [30,31]. This would be a bottom-up approach in this case, which if adopted could achieve effects on larger spatial scales.…”

Italy vs. Poland: A Comparative Analysis of Regional Planning System Attitudes toward Adaptation to Climate Changes and Green Infrastructures

“…The Italian urban planning law of 1942 was never repealed or replaced and is still in force. In the 1970s, the legislative activities concerning urban planning were delegated to the 20 administrative regions and were characterized by weak strategic regulation and strong heterogeneity [29][30][31], "thus easing forms of control and increasingly delegating decision-making to [also very small and demographically irrelevant] municipalities" [30].…”