Municipal Council for the Preservation of the Historical, Cultural and Environmental Heritage of the City of São Paulo

The Municipal Council for the Preservation of the Historical, Cultural and Environmental Heritage of the City of São Paulo (Portuguese: Conselho Municipal de Preservação do Patrimônio Histórico, Cultural e Ambiental da Cidade de São Paulo), also known as CONPRESP, is a commission linked to the Municipal Department of Culture and supported by the technical staff of the Department of Historical Heritage (DPH).

CONPRESP is the agency responsible for the registration of cultural, natural and historical properties in the city of São Paulo in order to preserve them according to artistic, architectural and urbanistic values. CONPRESP and DPH are interdependent and responsible for deliberating on the cultural and environmental preservation of the municipality.

It was created under Law No. 10.032, on September 27, 1985, as a collegiate cultural advisory agency linked to the Municipal Department of Culture. Its attributions, amended by Laws No. 10.236 on December 16, 1986, and No. 14.516 of October 11, 2007, stipulate that CONPRESP can grant approval for the listing of movable and immovable property, communicate the registration to similar bodies and claim benefits for the owners of these properties.

Members
The board is composed of one full member and one alternate member from the following representations:


 * CMSP - Municipal Chamber of São Paulo;
 * CREA - Regional Council of Engineering and Agronomy of São Paulo;
 * DPH - Department of Historical Heritage (Department Director);
 * IAB - Institute of Architects of Brazil - São Paulo Branch;
 * OAB - Order of Attorneys of Brazil - São Paulo Branch;
 * SMDU - Municipal Department of Urban Development;
 * SEL - Municipal Licensing Department;
 * SMC - Municipal Department of Culture;
 * SMJ - Municipal Department of Justice.

Organization
As established in the regiment, the council is composed of:


 * Presidency;
 * Chair's advisory body;
 * Plenary;
 * Executive secretary;
 * Advisory body.

The bodies must nominate a representative and an alternate who will be chosen by the mayor. The president and vice-president will be chosen by a vote of its members at a meeting held specifically for this purpose. The candidate with the majority of votes wins.

Operation
The council must meet periodically twice a month, with the possibility of extra sessions whenever the situation demands it, as long as they are summoned by the president or a majority of its members. Among other duties, the executive secretary is responsible for writing up the records of each meeting in order to be signed by the president and the councillors present and then published in the city's official gazette.

All of the council's resolutions and deliberations are decided by a majority vote of the members present. The decisions regarding the designation of a landmark are based on studies conducted by the technical staff or by a private initiative. The document is formalized in the Livro do Tombamento, which contains the resolutions and definitions of the classification process and the area covered.

CONPRESP's functions

 * Decide on the total or partial protection of movable and immovable property, whether publicly or privately owned;
 * Inform the state and federal registry offices about the registration of property;
 * Formulate the guidelines and strategies necessary to guarantee the preservation of cultural and natural assets;
 * Delimitation of the area surrounding a listed property in order for it to be properly controlled;
 * To promote the preservation and enhancement of the landscape, environments and ecological spaces that are important for maintaining environmental quality and guaranteeing physical and ecological memory;
 * Promote a strategy for monitoring the preservation and use of protected properties;
 * Adopt the measures provided for in Law No. 10.032, which are necessary for the effects of patrimony to be achieved;
 * In case of exceptional necessity, decide on proposals to revise the heritage process;
 * Maintain permanent contact with public and private, national and international organizations, in order to obtain resources, technical and cultural cooperation for planning the stages of preservation and revitalization of the municipality's cultural and natural assets;
 * When necessary and at a higher level of complexity, to express an opinion on projects, plans and proposals for construction, conservation, repair, restoration and demolition, as well as on applications for licenses to operate commercial activities or provide services in buildings located in areas defined as cultural and natural heritage preservation zones.

Seal of Cultural Value of the City of São Paulo
In August 2016, seven sites in the city were awarded the seal of Cultural Value of the City of São Paulo, formalized in December 2015 by CONPRESP, with the purpose to honor venues that represent the place's social and cultural identity. Unlike a protected landmark, the seal does not require the owner to submit any project to intervene in the space to the council. However, the initiative does not guarantee preservation, only social mobilization for the preservation of the recognized asset.

Among the seven places that were awarded the seal of Cultural Value in the first half of 2016 are: the Carlino Restaurant, founded in 1881, and the Italianinha, Quatorze de Julho and Santa Tereza Bakeries, in operation since 1896, 1897 and 1872, respectively. Also awarded the seal are the Parque das Acácias (APRACS) and Parque das Hortênsias buildings, both from the 1950s, and the Casa da Bóia Metais e Hidráulica, the oldest rust store on Florêncio de Abreu Street, founded in 1898, which features a museum about trade and São Paulo's industrial era.

The seal of Cultural Value is effective for up to five years and can be renewed by CONPRESP and DPH, according to the preservation of the site. The first seven properties to receive the award were selected after a survey of the oldest establishments, based on the records of the São Paulo Trade Association and requests from the municipality's citizens. The council intends to select other places that are considered by the population to be part of their historical heritage.