Rada supports bill on different strategic planning terms for rear, frontline communities
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has supported in the first reading the draft law No. 13437 "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Spatial Planning of Territories (Lands)" regarding the postponement and clarification of the deadlines for the obligation for communities to have comprehensive spatial development plans, according to which they will differ for rear and front-line communities.
As reported on the website of the Servant of the People party, 238 people's deputies voted in favor.
According to the co-author of the bill, the head of the parliamentary committee on the organization of state power, local self-government, regional development and urban planning, the head of the Servant of the People party, Olena Shulyak, for rear communities, the adopted bill provides for the establishment of an additional transitional period until January 1, 2028, and for territorial communities or their parts, which, as of the date of entry into force of the relevant changes provided for by this bill, are included in the list of territories in which hostilities are being conducted or temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, until the expiration of three years from the date of termination or cancellation of martial law.
At the same time, a third of Ukrainian communities are already at the stage of developing their frontline border plans.
"Currently, 495 communities out of 1,469 are already creating their comprehensive spatial development plans. Moreover, the new legislation also stipulates that the presence of a spatial development plan is an advantage when considering issues related to financing community restoration and infrastructure development from budget funds or international financial assistance," Shulyak emphasized.
According to the parliamentarian, not all Ukrainian territorial communities are able to begin developing a planning document due to security conditions, so it was decided to postpone the effect of Law No. 711 "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Land Use Planning," which provided for the mandatory implementation of a spatial development plan for communities from January 1, 2025.
"This decision was formed during congressional hearings at the Office of the President of Ukraine, which were attended by more than 1,700 participants: people's deputies, ministers, community representatives, regional military administrations, regional councils, experts and others. We understand that the conditions in which our communities currently live are significantly different. For those in the rear, the priority is restoration. For those on the front lines, the struggle for their existence is first and foremost," she noted.
"Spatial development plans mean the creation of high-quality urban planning documentation. And this is a de facto stop sign to various types of raiding, the emergence of illegal long-term construction, self-construction, and various schemes in the field of urban planning. In addition, high-quality urban planning documentation will ultimately mean an increase in revenues to local budgets," she said.