Your Next Investment Depends on a Non-Existent Plan

One of the nightmares of local and regional self-government units (JLRS) may be the preparation of spatial plans. Authorities must consider citizens, but also the interests of various groups, including entrepreneurs, and often their desires are irreconcilable. What will be built, can agricultural land be converted to construction land, there is always some uncertainty. Moreover, the state creates difficulties because it was supposed to adopt a state spatial development plan as a basic plan about ten years ago, but it has not done so.

Complex Task

The profession states that the preparation of a spatial plan is an extremely complex task. For illustration, a large number of regulations apply to spatial plans, they note in the Croatian Chamber of Architects (HKA), from all spheres of life and the economy – from agricultural and forest land to the protection of natural and cultural heritage, ownership relations, traffic – and many others that can be imagined.

– The most complex task is reconciling a large number of different stakeholders, many with opposing views and interests, within the given spatial framework. This is also the essence of the planning profession. Often, even an individual actor in space has ideas whose consequences are mutually contradictory: for example, we want greener cities, but at the same time, we would like more parking lots and wider roads; we want to enjoy the natural environment, so we would expand settlements into nature; we want greater order in space, but we are irritated by the rules that apply to our plot. Here, patient communication and seeking a balance between the demands of development, on one hand, and the protection of spatial values, on the other, remain a fundamental challenge – they say in HKA.

Impassable Plans

In the implementation of spatial plans, there are many challenges, they emphasize, but the biggest problem can be considered the lack of will and capacity among the broadest spectrum of stakeholders for the preparation of detailed plans and the realization of necessary public areas and contents – both of which are a necessary prerequisite for the construction and renewal of quality, successful, and vital settlements.

– The lack of detailed plans directly affects the lives of citizens more than it may initially seem. Without them, building permits are issued based on general plans that should be strategic, not operational, so even with the best will, they cannot cover all situations in space. Therefore, such plans become impassable and subject to different interpretations, in parts overly restrictive, and still have shortcomings that can permanently diminish the value of the space, not only aesthetically, and jeopardize the resolution of common needs in the broader area, such as traffic – they explain to us in HKA.

Entrepreneurs Would Build

To our question about how much JLRS adhere to the recommendations of the profession in the preparation of spatial plans, they respond that municipalities and cities vary from those that are truly advanced, which think long-term about the quality development of their space, to those for which spatial planning is a stage for mundane daily political and other topics. However, they note in the Chamber, in a democratic society, spatial and urban planning necessarily has a political dimension – without negative connotations, they emphasize – because it implies community decisions about the future of space made with the help of its representative bodies.

– This does not mean that the profession is there just to draw what it is told. Planners actively participate in the proper shaping of decisions, they explain, guide, recommend, warn, and coordinate, but the responsibility for space lies with the entire community – they convey from HKA.

For example, the interest in construction in the area of Split is mostly focused on construction land. These are entrepreneurial initiatives for the construction of residential, accommodation, and business facilities.

– When it comes to agricultural land, it is usually traditional agricultural activity of lower intensity on the outskirts of the city, for which there are no expressed initiatives – they convey from the Split city administration.

Generator of Conflicts

In the Association of Cities, they say that even the legislative framework itself in many specific cases creates conflicting situations in the implementation of plans, which particularly affects the quality of urban development. Here they primarily mean the unadopted state spatial development plan. There are also challenges in the implementation of spatial plans due to the state of space that can affect implementation: infrastructural condition, property law status, the state of the cadastral and land registry operations (size and shape of plots, mutual compliance of cadastral and court operations, compliance of operations with the actual state in space), etc.

In the Association of Cities, they say that the most common problems are vagueness and frequent ambiguity of plan provisions, various collisions for specific areas in plans and among different levels of plans. There is often a lack of alignment of plans with the legislative framework in force, such as older plans adopted before the newer legislative framework. No less problematic are plans that inadequately consider and provide vague provisions for possible infrastructural features of an area. For example, they inadequately determine the issue of road arrangements.

– There is another problem. Plans are being developed that inadequately consider and determine the typological architectural-urban characteristics of the space. Here we are already talking about bad plans that affect the quality of life in a certain area – they state in the Association of Cities.

In the Croatian Association of Municipalities (HZO), they emphasize that challenges primarily arise due to the diversity of municipalities according to geographical location, economic development, investment potential, citizens’ needs, and development strategies that municipalities have.

– It should be emphasized that most municipalities in their spatial plans take into account both investment plans and the needs of the local population, and a great emphasis is placed on environmental protection and renewable energy sources – they say in HZO.

Models of Cooperation

How much do local communities cooperate or seek advice from other municipalities and cities to adopt a spatial plan? In HZO, they say that this cooperation exists and that municipalities often exchange useful experiences. In the Association of Cities, they remind that this issue is regulated by the Spatial Planning Act, specifically Article 90, which states that when adopting plans, the holder of the preparation (JLRS) is obliged to inform neighboring cities and municipalities about the process and request their opinion. It is also an obligation to inform them about the initiation of public discussions.

– Therefore, this issue is legally regulated, and greater or lesser initiative for cooperation always depends on the will and initiative of the executive authority, as well as the engagement of responsible city departments – they emphasize in the Association.

The city of Split is in daily contact with other cities and municipalities, they convey from the local administration, as modern spatial planning mostly relies on this model of cooperation. Infrastructural and communal equipment, economic and demographic components assume the consideration of future solutions within a scope that significantly exceeds administrative boundaries.

Zaprešić also has experience in cooperation within the Zagreb County, especially with the municipalities of Brdovec, Bistra, Maria Gorica, and Pušća, in segments related to traffic corridors, space protection, water management, and infrastructural planning.

– In cases of specific topics, such as energy-efficient zones, mixed-use zones, or the arrangement of economic zones, experiences and examples of good practice are exchanged with other cities in Croatia – they state in the Zaprešić city administration.

Pressure for Land Reclassification

They also cooperate with the Institute for Spatial Planning of Zagreb County, a fundamental partner in the preparation and development of plans, and on more complex projects with professional offices. However, the biggest challenges in the implementation of spatial plans in the Zaprešić area arise from several interconnected factors. The first is the pressure for land reclassification. Namely, they explain in the local administration, due to the proximity of Zagreb and the continuous population growth in Zaprešić and surrounding settlements, there is increasing pressure from investors and citizens to convert agricultural land into construction land. This requires detailed analyses, alignment with higher plans, and assessments of infrastructural sustainability. Therefore, the challenge is to preserve space and sustainable urbanization, i.e., the balance between the needs for development and the protection of the environment, cultural-historical, natural, and landscape values, agricultural areas, and water resources.

– Any possible reclassification must be aligned with the real possibilities of communal, traffic, and water infrastructure. The biggest challenge is the pace of growth, which is faster than the possibilities of infrastructure expansion. Regarding illegal construction, although it is significantly lower in Zaprešić compared to parts of Dalmatia and other counties, requests for legalization and supervision procedures occasionally arise. The biggest challenge is not only control but also preventing the recurrence of such situations – they say in Zaprešić.

They also highlight some major challenges, such as alignment with new regulations, as new national requirements related to energy efficiency, green infrastructure, and climate change resilience require constant adjustments of spatial plans and additional analyses by experts. Furthermore, the implementation of plans is sometimes slowed down due to the large number of participants, which requires coordination and data harmonization. Thus, JLRS constantly face challenges in the preparation of spatial plans. If only the state would fulfill its role, it would somewhat ease their work.