TCE questions changes approved by councilors in the Rio Branco Master Plan; understand

The court warns that failure to comply with the legal steps provided for in the City Statute may lead to the judicial annulment of the entire Master Plan and also mentions the possibility of holding public managers accountable, including sanctions for administrative improbity and even blocking of federal resources. Lane Reduction Among the main points questioned by the court is Bill No. 8/2026, authored by councilor Neném Almeida (MDB), unanimously approved by parliamentarians. The proposal addresses the non-buildable limit in the lanes [where water and sewage networks are located] in the public domain on highways. The text allows the construction and permanence of completed or partially constructed buildings close to highways and reduces the non-buildable strip on each side of the roads from 15 meters to 5 meters. The 15 meter requirement remains only for areas close to watercourses] For the TCE, the change could have impacts on urban mobility and road safety. The agency argues that reducing the setback compromises future road expansions, especially on highways such as BR-364, in addition to making interventions more difficult and increasing risks for drivers. Popular Housing Another point cited by the court is Amendment nº 146/2025, presented by councilor Felipe Tchê (PP). The proposal adds points about Areas of Special Housing Interest (AEIH). The amendment provides that public authorities can participate in the implementation of housing projects. However, Tchê proposed that public authorities can decide on the supply of areas and basic infrastructure, such as water and sewage networks, through consortium urban operations. In justification, the parliamentarian says that the original text did not have concrete plans to make housing projects viable. According to him, the measure seeks to reduce the housing deficit, remove families from risk areas, guarantee essential infrastructure and allow cost sharing with the private sector. The TCE assesses that the change could open up space for occupations in areas classified as high risk (R3), disregarding the municipality's history of floods and geological vulnerabilities. According to the Civil Defense of Rio Branco, 14 thousand people lived in areas of hydrological and geological risk by 2023 in the capital of Acre. Furthermore, the court also questions the lack of environmental and impact studies for urban expansion and points to a reduction in technical rigor. Lack of popular participation The TCE also states that the Master Plan review process presented flaws related to social participation. According to the statement, most of the discussions took place via digital means during the pandemic period [March 11, 2020 until May 5, 2023]. As a result, the period would have made it difficult for residents of peripheral areas, rural communities and people with limited internet access to participate. The body also points out that there was prioritization of meetings with representatives of entities considered technical and institutional. Among the bodies with supposed priority are the Council of Architecture and Urbanism (CAU), the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), Federation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism of the State of Acre (Fecomércio-AC), and some state government departments. Rural areas Another set of questions involves changes related to territorial organization and environmental protection. According to the TCE, the review reduced the existing categories of rural areas in urban planning from six to three. Among the areas previously detailed were regions focused on the green belt and family production. In the body's assessment, simplification causes a loss of regulatory precision and may hinder specific public policies for different rural territories. The court also warns of possible impacts on the Amapá Environmental Protection Area (APA). According to the document, the relaxation of urban parameters and setbacks can favor the advancement of the agricultural frontier and real estate expansion in environmentally sensitive areas. Green areas The TCE also criticized the removal of the so-called Green Area Receiving Areas (ARV), a mechanism used for environmental compensation in urban occupation processes. The zones are intended to receive investments, environmental compensation measures and the implementation of parks and squares. According to the agency, the exclusion of this category eliminates one of the main instruments for preserving connectivity between the city's green corridors, potentially increasing the waterproofing of the soil and intensifying the phenomenon of heat islands. For the court, the observations presented are preventive in nature and aim to ensure that Rio Branco's urban growth occurs in a sustainable, safe manner and in line with the standards set out in the City Statute and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Note from TCE-AC The Court of Auditors of the State of Acre (TCE-AC), in the exercise of its constitutional mission of accounting oversight and as a strategic inducer of public policies based on good governance, sustainability, democratic participation and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), informs society that Complementary Bill No. 26/2025, which revises the Rio Branco Master Plan, was approved by the City Council in disagreement with the alerts, studies and technical manifestations produced by this Court of Auditors. The technical analyzes highlighted relevant risks of a legal, urban planning, environmental and procedural nature, with potential compromise of legal security, territorial planning, democratic management of the city and the adequate application of public resources. The TCE-AC reaffirms its institutional commitment as an external control body, promoter of good governance and guardian of public assets and resources, remaining vigilant regarding compliance with the Constitution, current legislation and the principles that guide sustainable urban development, in defense of the public interest and that of present and future generations. Rio Branco -Acre, July 10, 2026. Court of Auditors of the State of Acre Review the news from Acre