Grudging Compliance with the Rules?

(6/29/2009)

DenPost reports that the demolition of the top balcony of the 188-room Best Western Hotel in the Kedonganan area of Bali near Jimbaran suddenly came to a halt on Tuesday, June 23, calling into question the sincerity of pledges by the developer to bring the hotel into conformance with the 15 meter maximum height rule for all buildings in Bali. DenPost said that some of the offending pillars located on the top of the building remain partially intact, giving rise in some quarter to suspect that the removal of the offending balcony was perhaps more symbolic than genuine.

A local community leader in Kedonganan, I Gede Rai Wijaya, adopted a more positive outlook, expressing appreciation for the readiness of the hotel's investors to submit themselves to the local laws governing the maximum height of buildings in Bali. At the same time, however, he asked that the Best Western also take the necessary action to correct its violation of set-back rules committed by building too close to the street.

The Head of the Badung Enforcement Agency (Satpol PP), Wayan Adi Arnawa, confirmed that his office had obtained assurances from the Best Western that alterations would also be made to remove those parts of the building standing too close to the roadway.