provincial land use management legislative processes: reflections from the kzn pda
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Provincial land use management legislative processes: Reflections from the KZN PDA. Presentation at DRDLR Workshop 03 May 2013. SACN engagement with legal process. Understand practice : Examine SACN and econ hubs in 9 provinces 9 provincial reports: One cross cutting publication - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Provincial land use management legislative processes:
Reflections from the KZN PDA
Presentation at DRDLR Workshop 03 May 2013
SACN engagement with legal process
– Understand practice: Examine SACN and econ hubs in 9 provinces• 9 provincial reports: One cross cutting publication
– Identify important legal issues for provincial laws • One publication important legal issues provincial
laws
– Respond to the SPLUMB • Reponses to the SPLUMB from SACN and some
cities
Provincial legislation: why this work?
• Lens to examine implications and lessons from PDAs– Learnt from its enactment and implementation – Small comparison with other provincial
processes – How can we if at all deal with burning question
of spatial transformation?
Overview
• KZN tackled the legislative issues fairly early
– KwaZulu-Natal Rationalisation of Planning and Development Laws Act, 2008 (Act No. 2 of 2008)
– Town Planning Ordinance Amendment Act with the “Rationalisation” Act, to “simplify and update existing provincial planning and development laws until the PDA 2008
– Importantly, phasing towards a PDA
• Some notable provisions – Wall to wall schemes – outlining of criteria for all decisions– time frames for all steps – compulsory disclosure of certain documents
or facts– compulsory professional evaluation of
applications and accountability– blanket removal of certain out-dated
conditions of title by law
•
How they went on about it…
• Capacity: – initiatives included drafting a manual, leaflets
and process wall charts. – extensive training programmes were rolled out
for councillors and municipal officials• Forums of learning and support
– PDA Forum running for three years • Stretched and phased over years • Inclusive legislative process
•
How they went on about it…
• Merit for phased methods where:– Capacity– Little consensus
• Pragmatism, adaptation, – “It is important to keep momentum. It is very
easy to lose a year in an effort to please everyone. We often had to cut our losses along the way, like reducing the scope of the Act in order to make progress.
Lessons
• Even with longer time for shift in powers and functions, still problems at LG
• Constitutional imperative planning and LG– Municipalities have been given powers that
they often are not able to manage– We have fallen victim to our own ambitions
not taking into existing capacity (Adv Budlender)
• Many KZN PDA provisions ambitious
Lessons
• The planning status quo, in many ways is comforting, non-threatening, – “It was much easier to get consensus on
extending existing legislation than to get consensus on new legislation.”
• Necessity of extensive inclusivity • Like many process some room for
amendments– Notice to people within 100m
Lessons
Lessons
• Reliance on other processes for laws successes – Create processes for sectoral land
development issues eg agricultural land, environmental etc
• Potential dangers of over-legislation… – set realisable goals
• Postscript: numerous changes (2009) and revised bill 2012 and talk of new law
Inter-provincial comparisons
• KZN PDA each lum process different chapter other provinces managed as single chapter
• WC focus on IG arrangements, allocation of powers and functions
• Gauteng and WC great emphasis on SDF preparation– Greater support to guide spatial transformation – SDF avenue for national and provincial interests
• Registered planners (KZN and WC)
Inter-provincial comparisons
• KZN and WC municipality makes decision, provincial tribunal appeals– KZN appeal tribunal solely provincial entity – Gauteng Bill municipal tribunals and single
appeal tribunal, MEC appointed with LG reps • Schemes: single (WC and Gauteng)
multiple (KZN)• Enforcement: KZN extensive and onerous
WC and Gauteng allow for by laws
Understanding urban land
Tools to manage land
Hou
sing
and
hum
an
sett
lem
ents
; tra
nspo
rt Tools and levers to for
urban land m
anagement
Who, where, what for, how much
Inte
racti
on: b
uilt
envi
ronm
ent
Transform
SACN and land
A transformative agenda through the law?
• Law reform intended to:• Powers and functions clarification • Replacing fragmented and racially based laws
• There is a transformative agenda • Reason why LG has certain developmental functions • KZN law: Intent “redresses the historic injustices
perpetuated by the old order fragmented planning and development system”
• Legislation is a means to an end
There is a larger agenda
• National Development Plan (NDP)– strong and efficient spatial planning system,
well integrated across the spheres of government
– informal settlements located on suitable, well-located land
– more people living closer to their places of work, more jobs in or close to dense, urban townships and better public transport
Some legislative possibilities
• Critical role SDF in driving this agenda– Provisions strengthening these
• Giving planning authorities power to override “NIMBYsm eg N Cape; SPLUM
• Principles decision making: Gauteng, WC – How effective given DFA experiences?
• Free State incremental upgrading of informal settlements in Bill
But we should be careful
• Unintended consequences –KZN PDA wall to wall schemes call for
regulations to allow more leeway in the former disadvantaged areas
–Applicability in rural areas–Scaling of fees–Urban edges and the cost of land