The Costa Rican State and local governments have the directive to define and execute policies related to land use planning. In this area, policies should focus on the regulation and promotion of urban settlements and sustainable economic and social activities. This urban renewal regulation is a response to current legislation and to the principles of the social, economic and environmental function of property, and fulfills a series of commitments regarding the implementation of policies for sustainable urban development. The regulation seeks to solve needs in the following areas: risk due to natural hazards, deficiency or absence of parks and communal areas, protection of natural resources and inadequate urban fabric. In the above cases, Nature-Based Solutions represent an optimal approach from a sustainable development perspective to address the above needs. The regulation proposes the rehabilitation, regeneration, remodeling or conservation of urban areas in order to improve the quality of urban life through the use of the previous and improvement of public spaces and environmental protection. It includes pedestrianization of space, universal accessibility, protection of natural resources, rescue of the urban landscape and of the architectural and intangible historical heritage, use of alternative energies, prioritization of public transportation, variation of population density in urban centers, or other factors that promote urban renewal.
The purpose of this instrument is to provide local governments that lack relevant regulations with a specific regulation on the subject of urban renewal. The instrument is based on the Urban Planning Law 4240 of November 15, 1968, in the Organic Law of the Environment 7554 of October 4, 1995.