By Antynet Ford
Governor Johnson Sakaja has defended the proposal by the county to change the zoning regulations which will see the high rise of apartments in the various parts of the City.
The city administrator said the population of the city is increasingly growing and the planning needs to change to suit the huge population.
According to Sakaja the 696 square kilometers area of Nairobi cannot be expanded hence the need to raise high.
“By 2050, Nairobi will have a population of 10.5 million inhabitants hence to avoid sprawl and negative effects, we must rethink and redesign our neighborhoods.” Sakaja said.
During the address, Sakaja revealed that the United States of America government has committed over 60 million dollars (approximately Sh 8Billion) to fund the planing mobility sectors which he said will be provided in the framework of the city planing.
The development plan is required to have all the stakeholders including urban planners, residents associations and other professionals whom recently protested over the policy proposed by the Sakaja left government.
The proposal seeks to increase the skyline limit in certain areas, such as Kilimani and Muthangari to 15 floors, from the current four floors while the CBD be increased to 75 floors.
Ngong’ Road areas which are under zone four will have a maximum of twenty five floors while lower spring valley which includes Mathaare river, Westlands Redhill link road, Wahiyaki way and ringroad Parklands will have upto four floors.
The proposal is currently with the county planning committee.
The zoning of Nairobi was last amended in 2004 and this is yet another attempt after the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) failed to approve it.
Read also:- https://corporatewatch.co.ke/sakaja-orders-closure-of-gas-filling-stations-in-residential-areas/
Various residential associations and the professionals from the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) recently stated that the recent and frequent floods in Nairobi are as a result of unplanned and up Hazzard developments in the city.
“The flooding,gas explosions and sewer bursts experienced in residential places in Nairobi are dire consequences of poor planning and uncontrolled developments. Proper planing is the only solution for these problems in the city.” AAK president Florence Nyole said.