Planejamento urbano em cidades pequenas e o potencial do associativismo intermunicipal: Um estudo da microrregiao da Baixa Mogiana (MG)

Abstract

The present study analyzes urban planning in small cities, focusing empirically on the 17 municipalities that comprise the Baixa Mogiana Microregion, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The research investigates the urban planning instruments used in these territories, as well as the challenges associated with the legal and institutional structure of urban policies and the technical weaknesses that influence planning, management, and territorial organization processes. At the same time, it seeks to identify the potentialities present in small urban centers, which are often characterized by institutional limitations. Based on a combination of a literature review, a technical and institutional assessment of the municipalities, an analysis of current urban legislation, the collection of territorial and demographic data, and interviews with municipal public managers and representatives of AMOG, the study discusses the role of intermunicipal associativism as a strategy for strengthening the institutional and technical capacity for urban planning in small cities. In this context, cooperation among municipalities is analyzed as a mechanism capable of supporting the formulation and implementation of urban policies and contributing to the development of more balanced, equitable, and sustainable territories. The results demonstrate that urban planning in small cities faces limitations that extend beyond the mere existence of legal instruments. The study identified incomplete or outdated urban legislation, limited technical and financial capacity within municipal administrations, low levels of social participation, difficulties in managing rural areas, and recurrent interference of political and personal relationships in technical decision-making, undermining the continuity and effectiveness of urban policies. It is concluded that strengthening urban planning in small cities depends on the consolidation of institutional capacities, the technical qualification of municipal administrations, and regional cooperation. In this context, intermunicipal associativism demonstrates potential to expand management capacity through the sharing of technical teams, the training of public servants, the standardization of procedures, and support for the development and implementation of urban policies suited to the specific characteristics of these territories.