Land Use Planning Determinants as Limits to Local Autonomy in Matters of Urban Planning

Despite reinforcing local constitutional authority to organize the municipal territory and to regulate the use of land, Act 388 of 1997 imposed a set of "rules of higher hierarchy" to determine municipal planning of land use. Therefore, these determinants of land use planning must be considered by local authorities in the design and implementation of local plans. This paper analyzes how these determinants integrate urban regulations and limit autonomy and decision-making of constitutionally recognized local powers.