VENEZIA: A hold on tourist rentals and change of use of residences. A different organization of Mass Tourism traffic with the relocation of the terminals at San Marco to Sant’Elena and Fondamente Nuove. More control and more police. And an “experiment” for San Marco that however will be difficult to put in operation by the summer. While still waiting for a project for the Cruise ships, this is the list for the “great deliberation” on tourism that the Administration has to approve next Thursday. Three days before the deadline imposed by UNESCO. In recent months the debate over what to do has accelerated, thanks also to the pressure brought by public opinion. But to evaluate the situation in concrete terms, during the meeting of the global Committee to be held next July in Cracow, UNESCO has asked for concrete resolutions and provisions. Two have been presented to the commissions and in City Council.
Take away. The halting of “take away”, stores that sell takeout food like pizza by the slice, kebab and chips. This provision was not approved in Council on Thursday due to the lack of the legal number of votes. The artisans challenge this provision as well. “An opportunity is being lost”, they say. “It is a partial provision, which addresses only one part of the issue”.
Rentals. Next week should see the approval by the Council of the resolution that asks the Region to modify the Law on tourism that today allows “automatic” change of use from residence to tourist rental. Being studied and in Council Thursday is also a new regulation that stipulates stricter rules for the changes of use. They would always have to be approved by the government and should not be automatic.
Mass Tourism. The traffic of boats that transport tourists from Chioggia, from Tronchetto and from the coast, is among the problems facing the Bacino of San Marco. New approaches are being considered, to Sant’Elena and Fondamente Nuove. The request that comes from the islands is to limit the passage of boats that are too big, and that have megaphones. Also being studied is the new Plan for traffic, with limits on passages. A proposal in this category is that of renewing the connection to the Rio delle Galeazze, across Arsenale. This would avoid the danger of thousands of motorboats (taxi and ACTV) at Sant’Elena.
San Marco. One of the provisions waited for the most is certainly that of limiting of access to the area of San Marco on major holidays. For now only an experiment is proposed. A solution which will not arrive in the near term.
Cruise Ships. The Minister, the Port and the City seem to have decided to move forward with the Vittorio Emanuele project. This, however, must be subject to an evaluation of Environmental Impact. But the time grows longer, and meanwhile the cruise ships still pass San Marco.
Day Visitors. It is more difficult to do something about the number of day visitors, which is growing continuously. New assaults are predicted for 25 April and 1 May, after that of Easter. The situation is now at high risk.
Source: La Nuova Venezia, April 23, 2017
Campaign For A Living Venice 