After the hearing of the councilor for production development Ivana Perusinthat of the Councilor for Culture Enzo Laforgiato the councilor for educational services Rossella Dimaggioto the councilor for social services Roberto Molinarito the Councilor for the Environment Nicoletta San Martinoto the sports councilor Stefano Malerbathe time has also come for the councilor for Local Police and Security Raffaele Catalano to report to the councilors of the Urban Planning Commission on how the next PGT can influence the activities of his department.
And if anyone had any doubts about the actual connection between urban planning and city safety, councilor Catalano immediately clarified his opinions to the members of the urban planning commission which for several months now, according to a path devised by its president Domenico Marasciuloare forming an opinion of the Territorial Government Plan on which we are working thanks also to the data provided by the various councilors.
«We need to be aware that urban planning choices can have a positive or negative impact on security – Catalano began – physical space, security, surveillance and control of the territory are closely linked with the way the space is designed.”
This is why the PGT topic is not indifferent to him too: «In the past, security was understood as linked exclusively to issues of public order and social problems. Actually the structure, organization and ways of using the city and its spaces have a considerable impact on safety and the perception of safety. I think of a case in Varese that seems textbook: Piazza XX Settembre, which is very difficult to keep under control. First of all, because to rush to an emergency the police have to park in the square in front, and then run on foot. And then because in the condominium “an escape route” towards Via Como was literally conceived. I am neither an architect nor an engineer, I have been a policeman all my life: but if they had shown me that project, I would have said “gentlemen, look, there is a problem here”. However, from a safety point of view, they didn’t have to show that project to anyone. Because a safety plan, mandatory for example in France, is not foreseen in Italy.”
The three forms of prevention that promote safety in cities are social, community and environmental. And, as Catalano explained: «The main reference figure for environmental prevention theories is Jane Jacobs, who in the reports of his studies makes harsh criticisms against modern renovations which have created large public housing complexes, which have led to them becoming centers of crime, and against the zoning of cities, divided into residential, work and leisure . In fact, he claims that the diversity of uses of a neighborhood helps spontaneous surveillance which guarantees natural control over the city. Administrations must encourage this is to increase the sense of belonging to the territory in which they live and therefore spontaneously defend it. An example of this is lo student house of Biumo, which will create a connection between the people of the neighborhood and the university population which will only do well. It won’t be the solution to all the neighborhood’s problems, but I’m sure it will have clear effects.”
Many questions from the councilors: from Piazza Repubblica to Biumo Inferiore, from the Sacred Monte to the abandoned complex in Via Adamoli, many ideas emerged from Catalano’s reading: in total over two hours of session, which added an interesting piece to the puzzle of the new Varese PGT.
