O PLANO DIRETOR E A CIDADE DE FATO: O CASO DE SANTARÉM-PA

Santarém é a terceira cidade em tamanho populacional do Pará, incluindo sua capital, Belém. Está localizada no oeste do estado e, historicamente, tem desempenhado importante papel no processo de ocupação desta porção do estado. Sua estratégica localização, na confluência dos rios Tapajós com o Amazonas e entre as cidades de Belém e Manaus lhe conferiu a função de entreposto comercial. A consolidação de Santarém como importante centro urbano da Amazônia, contou também com o extrativismo da borracha e da madeira, a cultura do cacau e os garimpos do Tapajós. Dentre estes fatores, destacamos ainda, a alocação de equipamentos previstos pelas políticas de integração, consumadas no II Plano Nacional de Desenvolvimento (PND) para esta área com a construção do porto, do aeroporto internacional, da Hidrelétrica de Curuá-Una e a implantação das rodovias, a partir da década de 1970. Nesta década, verificou-se intenso processo de migração da população do campo em direção à cidade, fato que se acelerou fortemente na década de 1980, com a crise da produção de ouro dos garimpos do Tapajós. Após 2000, a introdução da cultura da soja promoveu novamente, a chegada na cidade de contingentes populacionais oriundos do campo. Deve-se ressaltar que nos seus primórdios, até a década de 1970, a orientação do crescimento da malha urbana era dada pelo rio, tendência que foi alterada, após a abertura das rodovias. Este fator se tornou àquele que mais influenciou a configuração espacial do crescimento da cidade, impulsionando o prolongamento do tecido urbano, desta vez para o interior, orientando-o, fundamentalmente, em três vetores: um no sentido da Rodovia Fernando Guilhon, outro no sentido da BR-163 (Cuiabá-Santarém) e um último, no sentido da Rodovia PA-370 (Santarém-Curuá-Una). As margens destes eixos começaram a ser ocupadas, sem, no entanto, haver planejamento ou ordenação de seu crescimento, o que resultou numa configuração de áreas com precariedade em infra-estrutura, saneamento e habitação, ocupadas por população de baixa renda e caracterizadas por intensa periferização. As gestões municipais pouco se preocuparam com muitos problemas gerados por esta urbanização de natureza periférica. Um deles estava relacionado ao bom andamento de qualquer gestão municipal, ou seja, não havia critérios muito elaborados sobre a delimitação territorial dos próprios bairros, dificultando assim, a própria gestão, como também, a concepção dos usos do solo. Desta forma, o Plano Diretor, como importante instrumento de normalização e regularização de uso do solo, exigido pelo Ministério das Cidades a partir de 2006, representará uma solução para questões cruciais para o desenvolvimento urbano da cidade. Entretanto, o Plano Diretor do Município de Santarém, aprovado em dezembro de 2006, caracteriza estas áreas de urbanização periférica, como constituintes da Zona Urbana, numa classificação que também abrange Zona de Expansão Urbana e Zona Rural. Não obstante, o Plano Diretor do Município também as inclui na delimitação dos bairros, como é o caso dos bairros da Área Verde, Ipanema e Maracanã, ao longo das rodovias Santarém-Curuá-Una, Santarém-Cuiabá e Fernando Guilhon, respectivamente. Contraditoriamente, o texto do Plano Diretor do Município de Santarém restringe a definição de bairro à existência de 70% da área urbanizada e construída; à existência de, no mínimo, três equipamentos públicos em pleno funcionamento; à demarcação dos lotes de forma alinhada com dimensões mínimas estabelecidas em lei; à abertura de vias de forma alinhada e conforme os limites de largura definidos em lei; e ao número mínimo de três entidades comunitárias para compor um Conselho Gestor. Nota-se, portanto, que o Plano Diretor do Município de Santarém define como bairros, determinadas áreas que não preenchem os requisitos para tal, inclusive, segundo o próprio texto do Plano, além de incluí-las na Zona Urbana, e este fato se complica, por estas áreas apresentarem características de ruralidade, especialmente àquelas que estão mais próximas do Lago Maicá ou àquelas que mais se distanciam da área central, ou seja, que se localizam em áreas de transição entre o espaço urbano e o rural, para as quais se adequaria designá-las como áreas urbano-rurais, marcadas potencialmente por uma urbanização extensiva. Desta feita, busca-se, neste estudo, analisar as contradições existentes entre os conteúdos dos Planos Diretores e a configuração real das cidades, especificamente o caso de Santarém, a fim de esclarecer as razões para tais incoerências. Para tal, serão realizadas pesquisas bibliográficas e documentais, observações in loco, entrevistas com profissionais que trabalharam na equipe elaboradora do Plano Diretor Municipal, com técnicos da Coordenadoria de Desenvolvimento Urbano, da Secretaria Municipal de Infra-Estrutura da Prefeitura Municipal de Santarém, levantamentos fotográficos e, posterior sistematização dos dados e análise acerca da compatibilidade do Plano Diretor de Santarém com a realidade do município. A pesquisa encontra-se em fase adiantada de sistematização do material bibliográfico e documental e análise de material cartográfico. Ressalta-se a pertinência desse estudo, no momento oportuno, em que se vivencia a implantação efetiva dos Planos Diretores Municipais por todo o país, através das legislações complementares que deverão efetivar de fato, a consecução dos planos.

A CARACTERIZAÇÃO DA COMUNIDADE ESCOLAR PELA ABORDAGEM DA GEOGRAFIA DA SAÚDE – UMA EXPERIÊNCIA SEM FRONTEIRAS

As informações sistematizadas neste texto resultaram de um projeto de extensão desenvolvido no município de Barbosa Ferraz/PR, entre professores do ensino fundamental e médio das escolas públicas e comunidades atendidas por essas escolas. A capacitação de professores, por meio da utilização de recursos áudio-visuais era o objetivo buscado pelo projeto. Uma leitura interdisciplinar e a busca da efetivação do princípio de indissociabilidade entre ensino, pesquisa e extensão orientaram os estudos realizados sobre a realidade local, que considerou em sua leitura ambiental, dois enfoques: a educação e a saúde por meio de uma leitura geográfica da realidade. As atividades desenvolvidas estabeleceram vínculos com a comunidade municipal, da área urbana e a escola básica pública, para proceder ao levantamento de dados sobre a saúde e suas implicações ambientais. Os principais problemas identificados nas moradias entrevistadas pelos professores eram o manejo inadequado de lixo, horta e fossa séptica no espaço das hortas e quintais. As condições de moradia, lixo, saneamento básico e condições de saúde, também foram os principais problemas encontrados nas moradias das famílias dos alunos. As atividades buscavam articular o conhecimento levantado na realidade dos alunos, ao conhecimento escolar, inserindo-os no planejamento pedagógico e nas atividades de sala de aula. A territorialização dos dados levantados sobre a saúde da população, por meio de questionários e entrevistas, foi a contribuição oferecida pela Geografia da Saúde na articulação da leitura e análise dos dados levantados e espacializados.

PLANO DE GESTÃO DE RESÍDUOS SÓLIDOS URBANOS: ALGUMAS DIRETRIZES PARA O MUNICÍPIO DO CABO DE SANTO AGOSTINHO/PE

O discurso cotidiano repetido nas últimas décadas é o de como a produção de lixo nos diferentes espaços aumentou. Com isso, vários problemas inerentes a administração dos resíduos interferem na conservação dos recursos naturais. Diante desta problemática ambiental, destinar efetivamente os resíduos sólidos é garantir alguns anos de sobrevivência para tais recursos com também à população que necessita utilizá-los. Este trabalho sugere diretrizes à elaboração de um Plano de Gestão de Resíduos Sólidos para o município do Cabo de Santo Agostinho/PE. O estudo é descritivo e comparativo e os dados são avaliados qualitativamente. Para sua realização fez-se necessário levantamento dos principais conceitos inerentes como também a caracterização geográfica, histórica e ambiental do município. Além disso, foi feita a busca de dados na Prefeitura Municipal e a elaboração das diretrizes do plano propriamente dito, comparando a realidade com os dados colhidos. O município do Cabo de Santo Agostinho possui um diagnóstico dos resíduos sólidos, no entanto o Plano de Gestão de Resíduos Sólidos ainda não foi feito. O aumento da produção do lixo se tornou um tema preocupante e, o correto armazenamento e destino final dos resíduos produzidos, são urgentes.

Measuring performance of municipal real estate : softening the impact of financial crisis to local governments

Asset management in local government is an emerging discipline and over a decade has become a crucial aspect towards a more efficient and effective organisation. One crucial feature in the public asset management is performance measurement toward the public real estates. This measurement critically at the important component of public wealth and seeks to apply a standard of economic efficiency and effective organisational management especially in such global financial crisis condition. This paper aims to identify global economic crisis effect and proposes alternative solution for local governments to softening the impact of the crisis to the local governments organisation. This study found that the most suitable solution for local government to solve the global economic crisis in Indonesia is application of performance measurement in its asset management. Thus, it is important to develop performance measurement system in local government asset management process. This study provides suggestions from published documents and literatures. The paper also discusses the elements of public real estate performance measurement. The measurement of performance has become an essential component of the strategic thinking of assets owners and managers. Without having a formal measurement system for performance, it is difficult to plan, control and improve local government real estate management system. A close look at best practices in public sectors reveals that in most cases these practices were transferred from private sector reals estate management under the direction of real estate experts retained by government. One of the most significant advances in government property performance measurement resulted from recognition that the methodology used by private sector, non real estate corporations for managing their real property offered a valuable prototype for local governments. In general, there are two approaches most frequently used to measure performance of public organisations. Those are subjective and objective measures. Finally, findings from this study provides useful input for the local government policy makers, scholars and asset management practitioners to establish a public real estate performance measurement system toward more efficient and effective local governments in managing their assets as well as increasing public services quality in order to soften the impact of global financial crisis.

Gender and municipal politics : problems, perspectives and possibilities

Scholars of local government have repeatedly lamented the lack of literature on the subject (e.g., Mowbray 1997; Pini, Previte, Haslam & McKenzie 2007). As Dollery, Marshall and Worthington (2003: 1) have commented, local government has often been the ‘poor cousin of its more exalted relatives in terms of the attention it attracts from the research community.’ The exalted relatives Dollery et al. (2003) refer to are national political environments, where women’s participation has elicited significant attention. However, the dearth of research on the specific subject of women’s representation in local government is rarely acknowledged (Neyland & Tucker 1996; Whip & Fletcher 1999). This edited book attempts to redress this situation. Each chapter applies an explicit gender analysis to their specific topic of focus, making ‘gender visible in social phenomenon; [and] asking if, how, and why social processes, standards, and opportunities differ systematically for women and men’ (Howard, Risman & Sprague 2003: 1). These analyses in the local government context are critical for understanding the extent and nature of balanced representation at all levels of government. Furthermore, some women start their elective careers serving on school boards, city or town councils or as mayors, before progressing to state and national legislative offices. Hence, the experiences of women in local government illustrate broader notions of democracy and may for some individual women, shape their opportunities further along the political pipeline.

Characteristics of nontuberculous mycobacteria from a municipal water distribution system and their relevance to human infections

This thesis documented pathogenic species of nontuberculous mycobacteria in the Brisbane water distribution system. When water and shower aerosol strains were compared with human strains of mycobacteria, the study found that the likelihood of acquiring infection from municipal water was specific for four main species. The method for isolation of mycobacteria from water was refined, followed by sampling from 220 sites across Brisbane. A variety of species (incl 15 pathogens) were identified and genotypically compared to human strains. For M. abscessus and M. lentiflavum, water strains clustered with human strains. Pathogenic strains of M. kansasii were found, though non-pathogenic strains dominated. Waterborne strains of M. fortuitum differed to human strains. Extensive home sampling of 20 patients with NTM disease, supported the theory that the risk of acquiring NTM from water or shower aerosols appears species specific for M. avium, M. kansasii, M. lentiflavum and M. abscessus.

Mycobacterium abscessus isolated from municipal water : a potential source of human infection

Background Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacterium responsible for progressive pulmonary disease, soft tissue and wound infections. The incidence of disease due to M. abscessus has been increasing in Queensland. In a study of Brisbane drinking water, M. abscessus was isolated from ten different locations. The aim of this study was to compare genotypically the M. abscessus isolates obtained from water to those obtained from human clinical specimens. Methods Between 2007 and 2009, eleven isolates confirmed as M. abscessus were recovered from potable water, one strain was isolated from a rainwater tank and another from a swimming pool and two from domestic taps. Seventy-four clinical isolates referred during the same time period were available for comparison using rep-PCR strain typing (Diversilab). Results The drinking water isolates formed two clusters with ≥97% genetic similarity (Water patterns 1 and 2). The tankwater isolate (WP4), one municipal water isolate (WP3) and the pool isolate (WP5) were distinctly different. Patient isolates formed clusters with all of the water isolates except for WP3. Further patient isolates were unrelated to the water isolates. Conclusion The high degree of similarity between strains of M. abscessus from potable water and strains causing infection in humans from the same geographical area, strengthens the possibility that drinking water may be the source of infection in these patients.

Factors associated with the isolation of Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) from a large municipal water system in Brisbane, Australia

Background Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are normal inhabitants of a variety of environmental reservoirs including natural and municipal water. The aim of this study was to document the variety of species of NTM in potable water in Brisbane, QLD, with a specific interest in the main pathogens responsible for disease in this region and to explore factors associated with the isolation of NTM. One-litre water samples were collected from 189 routine collection sites in summer and 195 sites in winter. Samples were split, with half decontaminated with CPC 0.005%, then concentrated by filtration and cultured on 7H11 plates in MGIT tubes (winter only). Results Mycobacteria were grown from 40.21% sites in Summer (76/189) and 82.05% sites in winter (160/195). The winter samples yielded the greatest number and variety of mycobacteria as there was a high degree of subculture overgrowth and contamination in summer. Of those samples that did yield mycobacteria in summer, the variety of species differed from those isolated in winter. The inclusion of liquid media increased the yield for some species of NTM. Species that have been documented to cause disease in humans residing in Brisbane that were also found in water include M. gordonae, M. kansasii, M. abscessus, M. chelonae, M. fortuitum complex, M. intracellulare, M. avium complex, M. flavescens, M. interjectum, M. lentiflavum, M. mucogenicum, M. simiae, M. szulgai, M. terrae. M. kansasii was frequently isolated, but M. avium and M. intracellulare (the main pathogens responsible for disease is QLD) were isolated infrequently. Distance of sampling site from treatment plant in summer was associated with isolation of NTM. Pathogenic NTM (defined as those known to cause disease in QLD) were more likely to be identified from sites with narrower diameter pipes, predominantly distribution sample points, and from sites with asbestos cement or modified PVC pipes. Conclusions NTM responsible for human disease can be found in large urban water distribution systems in Australia. Based on our findings, additional point chlorination, maintenance of more constant pressure gradients in the system, and the utilisation of particular pipe materials should be considered.

Heterogeneity of clinical and environmental isolates of Mycobacterium fortuitum using repetitive element sequence-based PCR: municipal water an unlikely source of community-acquired infections

M. fortuitum is a rapidly growing mycobacterium associated with community-acquired and nosocomial wound, soft tissue, and pulmonary infections. It has been postulated that water has been the source of infection especially in the hospital setting. The aim of this study was to determine if municipal water may be the source of community-acquired or nosocomial infections in the Brisbane area. Between 2007 and 2009, 20 strains of M. fortuitum were recovered from municipal water and 53 patients’ isolates were submitted to the reference laboratory. A wide variation in strain types was identified using repetitive element sequence-based PCR, with 13 clusters of ≥2 indistinguishable isolates, and 28 patterns consisting of individual isolates. The clusters could be grouped into seven similar groups (>95% similarity). Municipal water and clinical isolates collected during the same time period and from the same geographical area consisted of different strain types, making municipal water an unlikely source of sporadic human infection.

Studies of Brisbane municipal water quality using Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry and Chemometrics

This research established innovative methods and a predictive model to evaluate water quality using the trace element and heavy metal concentrations of drinking water from the greater Brisbane area. Significantly, the combined use of Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry and Chemometrics can be used worldwide to provide comprehensive, rapid and affordable analyses of elements in drinking water that can have a considerable impact on human health.

Micro-scale anaerobic digestion of point source components of organic fraction of municipal solid waste

The fermentation characteristics of six specific types of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) were examined, with an emphasis on properties that are needed when designing plug-flow type anaerobic bioreactors. More specifically, the decomposition patterns of a vegetable (cabbage), fruits (banana and citrus peels), fresh leaf litter of bamboo and teak leaves, and paper (newsprint) waste streams as feedstocks were studied. Individual OFMSW components were placed into nylon mesh bags and subjected to various fermentation periods (solids retention time, SRT) within the inlet of a functioning plug-flow biogas fermentor. These were removed at periodic intervals, and their composition was analyzed to monitor decomposition rates and changes in chemical composition. Components like cabbage waste, banana peels, and orange peels fermented rapidly both in a plug-flow biogas reactor (PFBR) as well as under a biological methane potential (BMP) assay, while other OFMSW components (leaf litter from bamboo and teak leaves and newsprint) fermented slowly with poor process stability and moderate biodegradation. For fruit and vegetable wastes (FVW), a rapid and efficient removal of pectins is the main cause of rapid disintegration of these feedstocks, which left behind very little compost forming residues (2–5%). Teak and bamboo leaves and newsprint decomposed only to 25–50% in 30 d. These results confirm the potential for volatile fatty acids accumulation in a PFBR’s inlet and suggest a modification of the inlet zone or operation of a PFBR with the above feedstocks.

The Municipal Budgetary Response to Changing Labor Costs: The Case of San Francisco

"This paper analyzes how expenditures of the city of San Francisco were altered in response to changes in municipal labor costs over the period 1945 through 1976. A hybrid of the "demands" and the "organizational" models of budgeting is used to measure the budgetary response to changes in the relative prices of labor inputs. Descriptive and econometric evidence reveals significant adjustments both among and within departments in reaction to changes in relative labor costs. The empirical evidence demonstrates that the city's budgetary process is guided by simple allocative rules modified by price-responsive adjustments."

Tertiary Treatment of Ayr Municipal Wastewater using Bioremediation: A Pilot-Scale Study. A Report Prepared for the Burdekin Shire Council and the Burdekin Rangeland Reef Initiative

This joint DPI/Burdekin Shire Council project assessed the efficacy of a pilot-scale biological remediation system to recover Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorous (P) nutrients from secondary treated municipal wastewater at the Ayr Sewage Treatment Plant. Additionally, this study considered potential commercial uses for by-products from the treatment system. Knowledge gained from this study can provide directions for implementing a larger-scale final effluent treatment protocol on site at the Ayr plant. Trials were conducted over 10 months and assessed nutrient removal from duckweed-based treatments and an algae/fish treatment – both as sequential and as stand-alone treatment systems. A 42.3% reduction in Total N was found through the sequential treatment system (duckweed followed by algae/fish treatment) after 6.6 days Effluent Retention Time (E.R.T.). However, duckweed treatment was responsible for the majority of this nutrient recovery (7.8 times more effective than algae/fish treatment). Likewise, Total P reduction (15.75% reduction after 6.6 days E.R.T.) was twice as great in the duckweed treatment. A phytoplankton bloom, which developed in the algae/fish tanks, reduced nutrient recovery in this treatment. A second trial tested whether the addition of fish enhanced duckweed treatment by evaluating systems with and without fish. After four weeks operation, low DO under the duckweed blanket caused fish mortalities. Decomposition of these fish led to an additional organic load and this was reflected in a breakdown of nitrogen species that showed an increase in organic nitrogen. However, the Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN: ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) removal was similar between treatments with and without fish (57% and 59% DIN removal from incoming, respectively). Overall, three effluent residence times were evaluated using duckweed-based treatments; i.e. 3.5 days, 5.5 days and 10.4 days. Total N removal was 37.5%, 55.7% and 70.3%, respectively. The 10.4-day E.R.T. trial, however, was evaluated by sequential nutrient removal through the duckweed-minus-fish treatment followed by the duckweed-plus-fish treatment. Therefore, the 70.3% Total N removal was lower than could have been achieved at this retention time due to the abovementioned fish mortalities. Phosphorous removal from duckweed treatments was greatest after 10.4-days E.R.T. (13.6%). Plant uptake was considered the most important mechanism for this P removal since there was no clay substrate in the plastic tanks that could have contributed to P absorption as part of the natural phosphorous cycle. Duckweed inhibited phytoplankton production (therefore reducing T.S.S) and maintained pH close to neutral. DO beneath the duckweed blanket fell to below 1ppm; however, this did not limit plant production. If fish are to be used as part of the duckweed treatment, air-uplifts can be installed that maintain DO levels without disturbing surface waters. Duckweed grown in the treatments doubled its biomass on average every 5.7 days. On a per-surface area basis, 1.23kg/m2 was harvested weekly. Moisture content of duckweed was 92%, equating to a total dry weight harvest of 0.098kg/m2/week. Nutrient analysis of dried duckweed gave an N content of 6.67% and a P content of 1.27%. According to semi-quantitative analyses, harvested duckweed contained no residual elements from the effluent stream that were greater than ANZECC toxicant guidelines proposed for aquaculture. In addition, jade perch, a local aquaculture species, actively consumed and gained weight on harvested duckweed, suggesting potential for large-scale fish production using by-products from the effluent treatment process. This suggests that a duckweed-based system may be one viable option for tertiary treatment of Ayr municipal wastewater. The tertiary detention lagoon proposed by the Burdekin Shire Council, consisting of six bays approximately 290 x 35 metres (x 1.5 metres deep), would be suitable for duckweed culture with minor modification to facilitate the efficient distribution of duckweed plants across the entire available growing surface (such as floating containment grids). The effluent residence time resulting from this proposed configuration (~30 days) should be adequate to recover most effluent nutrients (certainly N) based on the current trial. Duckweed harvest techniques on this scale, however, need to be further investigated. Based on duckweed production in the current trial (1.23kg/m2/week), a weekly harvest of approximately 75 000kg (wet weight) could be expected from the proposed lagoon configuration under full duckweed production. A benefit of the proposed multi-bay lagoon is that full lagoon production of duckweed may not be needed to restore effluent to a desirable standard under the present nutrient load, and duckweed treatment may be restricted to certain bays. Restored effluent could be released without risk of contaminating the receiving waterway with duckweed by evacuating water through an internal standpipe located mid-way in the water column.