The extension of the municipal concession of Bariloche to exploit the Campanario hillto the family business that has operated it for 60 years, had a new instance of citizen participation with the second public hearing in which the Neighborhood observations focused on the environment and the economic return that the contract will give to the commune.
The extension project of the concession for 25 years, with a commitment to works with a SUM and expansion of the confectionery at the top and the payment of a canon based on the billing of ticket office and rents, it was presented by the mayor Gustavo Gennuso last year and in June it was approved in the first round by a majority in the Municipal Council.
Claudio Otano, Secretary of Environment and Urban Development, who spoke first, recalled that the company Campanario SRL is of local family origin and pointed out that “a contract is being debated, not a license to buildwhich will then be considered in terms of the works to be developed within their codes and technical considerations and specific regulations”.
The official’s clarification before giving the floor to the speakers had to do with the profuse criticism that neighbors to the west and environmentalists have wielded in recent months for the magnitude of the works that will be carried out on the top of the mountain and that again on the hearing were central theme.
The second public hearing for the Cerro Campanario concession had a wide debate.
The company appealed to its family history
Matías Jerman, representing the company, made a historical review of the origin of the tourist complex and its changes over the years and promised respect for the regulations, without asking the municipality for exceptions.
He indicated that the construction that is proposed as part of the improvement works in the coming years is located “on the same current confectionery” and that they will maintain the link with the community as up to now. At this point, the company Griselda Ingrassia also highlighted the corporate responsibility actions that have been carried out since the origin of the firm.
“We will always abide by all the regulations that are strictly enforced to carry out the project of the new revolving confectionery on the top of Cerro CampanarioIngrassia said.
Neighbors and environmentalists, with objections
Among the speakers there were environmental issues due to the works and the restrictions in the area. “The Campanario complex is included in the El Trébol lagoon urban nature reserve”, affirmed the environmentalist Ana Wieman who emphatically demanded compliance with the management plans that are in force.
Soledad Anselmi, a resident of the west, claimed that within the regulations that are approved, it is expressed in a “restrictive” manner that the concession property is within the nature reserve and that the construction parameters that are contemplated there, which are much more demanding than if it were the general regulations of the Western Plan.
Luciano Celsi, delegate of the Strategic Planning Council, explained that the same company concessionaire owes a 60 m2 confectionery expansion work, compromised in the contract that is in force today, which would not have been approved by the municipality years ago, after parameter changes. And with this background he asked that the possibility that the new works promised in the agreement may not materialize is taken into account.
The architect Graciela Antolín, who was not present but her presentation was read, made a detailed analysis of the administrative treatment in different councils and participatory spaces that the municipality has and that this project did not have, and raised change the interpretive space that is intended to be built and take it to another area such as the Botanical Garden, as a contribution to the city.
In economic matters, many speakers discussed the canon that the municipality will receive which will be applied to the billing of the ticket office and rentals (of confectionery and antenna space) at a rate of 12% the first year of concession and which will increase until reaching 21%.
The The objection is that the turnover of the confectionery and the future new spaces of the summit are not included in the canon.
Luis Rossi also stated that with Campanario’s billing level, the investment made in the committed works will be recovered in at least 15 years and for this reason he proposed making a concession for a period of less than the 25 years proposed.
The councilors will now have to analyze the project and take it to the second round for its final approval or not.