THE ORNAGHI DIRECTIVE ON DECORUM PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL GAZZETTE

As anticipated in a previous report, the Minister of Culture Lorenzo Ornaghi’s official directive on decorum was published in the official Gazzette yesterday. The official Gazzette published the provision, announced weeks ago by the minister, concerning the running of itinerant commercial and craft businesses or any other incompatible activity in public areas to protect the cultural and historic heritage of Italian cities. The minister asks for the cooperation of all the institutions and, in particular, asks that within six months the regional management and superintendencies draw up a detailed report on state owned monumental and cultural properties, listing the provisions already adopted by the local bodies in agreement with the superintendencies and proposing possible new needs for protection. The superintendents must then indicate the areas in which commercial activity is to be restricted or forbidden, while also taking measures in places where the council does not make provision, on the basis of the Urban Code. The spirit of the directive is essentially that of giving precedence to protecting the cultural heritage and decorum, to the cost of the various commercial stalls or stands. There is then the problem, no small matter in Venice and particularly the St Mark’s area, of relocating businesses if these are forbidden in the restricted areas and offering them equivalent conditions in other sites. It is worth pointing out in this case that most of the squares and ‘campi’ in Venice are protected by wide ranging restrictions, so the planning process requested by the Directive really will be complicated in a city like Venice and a specific area like that of St Mark’s, so rich in historic monuments and... business activities.

WORDING OF THE DIRECTIVE