SUSTAINABLE TOWNS OF CROATIA
Program for the Development of Urban Public Spaces in Croatia FINAL POLICY PAPER EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Urban policies in Croatia are still based on old, inflexible urban plans that
contribute to already high levels of pollution and health problems, ineffective transportation solutions crafted mostly to motorized transport and inadequate public spaces. Cities lack streets safe for
pedestrians, children playgrounds (some are more than thirty years old), green areas, waterfronts, sport and recreational facilities, and other public spaces necessary for the overall healthy and sustainable
urban living. Local government officials, overwhelmed with too many problems are lacking skills and motivation important for reaching out to citizens and building partnerships on projects often seen as a
secondary priority. There is very little communication with local government on the issue of public spaces, no active involvement from the side of citizens despite the requirements imposed by the
government's "Act on Public Discussion in the Spatial Development Process" and lack of information about government policy on these issues. Based on the research findings from interviews, conducted
questionnaires with NGOs and local government officials, and experts in urban policy and public spaces in the U.S. CEE and the Western Europe, as well as direct work with the key stakeholders in the selected
Croatian towns, this policy paper argues that the new, community-based approach to the current inflexible process of spatial planning and development in Croatia would contribute to more sound and sustainable
local government practices and help create more usable and livable public spaces. This approach will not only contribute to the development of self-sustaining community structures, and giving community
real empowerment, but also foster social cohesion and trust in government's policies and build cross-sector partnerships. The policy paper gives concrete recommendations to essentially two challenges,
which if successfully addressed could open new solutions for more effective participation of local people, one related to the importance of community/citizen participation and their capacity building and the
other to improving local government policies on urban and spatial development and citizen participation.
Public places give identity to the cities; contribute to economic development, environmental improvements, cultural and natural preservations, healthy living and increased sense of community belonging. "
Without great public places, there would be no great cities" argues Project for Public Spaces, a New York-based NGO working on improving public spaces in over 1,000 communities all over the
world. In Croatia today, planning and development of public spaces is still conducted at the national and local government level without an active citizens' involvement. Spatial development, which also
includes a category of public space is regulated by two national documents -- the "Law on Spatial Development" from 1998 (revised version of the '94 law) and the "Act on Public Discussion in the
Spatial Development Process", which requires urban planners to present project plans to public at the public hearings. At the local level, urban and spatial planning is developed through the city and the
county plans (so called GUPs – general urban plans). Croatia has also ratified and adopted several international treaties and conventions including the UNHABITAT Agenda 21, recommendations prepared by the
Council on Europe, as well as other conventions and treaties. In the last thirty years, urban and spatial planning in Croatia has been regulated by top-down, technocratic and city-centric methods which
focused mainly on rapid de-agrarization of rural areas, increased urbanization and industrialization, without taking in consideration community needs, the real pace of urbanization and sound environmental
practices. Some of the challenges facing Croatian towns are typical in today's urbanized world: traffic, pollution, overpopulation and crowding, crime, and the destruction of natural and cultural resources.
Years of war and economic devastation has only added to those problems and caused further degradation in both urban and rural areas. Changes in the population structure caused by a flow of refugees and
internally displaces people as well as returnees has to be taken in consideration when analyzing the future process of urban and spatial planning in Croatia.
General opinion among the NGOs and community based organizations is that there is very little communication with local government on the issue of public spaces, no active involvement from the
side of citizens despite the requirements imposed by the Act on Public Discussion in the Spatial Development Process and lack of information about government policy on these issues. Some of the local
government officials have at least occasional cooperation with citizens and local groups, especially environmental groups that are invited to participate at forums. However, they also believe that this
cooperation needs to be strengthened. Both target groups (NGOs and local government officials) have proposed different methods for increasing public participation and especially for strengthening the role of
city councils that have a direct link to citizens. In addition, a great number of professionals in urban planning, architects, engineers, professors, NGO and community leaders, prominent experts and
government officials believe that by increasing public participation in the process, including objective setting and delivery and ensuring that the community has sufficient skills and resources to contribute
constructively, may be an effective way of developing self-sustaining community structures and giving community real empowerment. They are promoting the "community-based" approach to urban planning and
advocating for greater and more livable cities and public spaces as the necessary component of healthy urban life.
This policy paper argues that the new, community-based approach to the current inflexible policies of spatial planning and development in Croatia would contribute to more sound and sustainable local
government practices and help create more usable and livable public spaces. The absence of effective community organizations can be seen as one of the main problems in the community, since local people
understand the problems and needs in their areas and may generate ideas for tackling those problems and needs as well as define priorities. Establishing community participation thus should be one of the
main objectives of urban revitalization and urban development. Those alternative practices will also bring communities together through an array of activities, ranging from entertainment and culture to
eco-tourism and economic development. They can also influence policy building around issues such as better partnerships among different sector representatives, improved strategies for local government
–NGO cooperation and promote democracy building around concrete, non-threatening projects such as those related to public spaces. There are essentially two challenges, which if successfully addressed could
open new solutions for more effective participation of local people. This policy paper will give concrete policy recommendations that address those two questions, as the basis for establishing better
communication between citizens and local government, and building stronger cross-sector partnerships. Recommendations are primarily targeted at local government and self-government (i.e.
community/neighborhood councils) in Croatia but also at the community and citizen groups that need to take a proactive stand and responsibility for their environment and livelihoods. Challenge 1. How to increase the capacity of the community to respond to their problems:
1 . Take "small steps" that motivate citizens, increase the
trust in local government and bring quick results.
Taking "small steps" is probably the most important recipe for building a strong and dynamic community and basis for a healthy democracy. Projects that are too complex and take too long for the
results to be seen usually de-motivate community and increase a sense of mistrust in the local government policy and efficiency. Starting with small, concrete projects that bring the community together can
be more effective in the long run than initiating expensive, long-term urban redevelopment projects, which are too complex and incomprehensive for the community. For example, the main concept behind the
[MU:V] initiative (see Case study 1)
was to promote "small, concrete initiatives that don't require major constructions or infrastructure building". Results need to be seen within few months to a year at the most in order to keep citizens' motivation going. It is especially risky to work with the young population, who is more demanding and can not only loose their initial drive, but also develop a strong sense of mistrust in the local government that would be almost impossible to rebuild. Even the initial results could thus increase the level of trust in the local government policy and develop stronger partnership between the two sides.
2 . Build effective information and communication channels
between local government and community.
In order to build effective communication between the local government and the community it is possible to start with some initial information tools, such as a brief newsletter about the local government
activities or a leaflet with the contact information about local government's departments. Those local governments that can afford to build an entire information network are also in a position to not only
inform its citizens but also build two-way communication channels, necessary to improve local government practices. Through those channels, citizens can react to local government policies, provide feedback,
push administrative procedures, answer to surveys and in some cases even vote on-line. In those cases, we can truly speak about democratic procedures. In cases where the citizen participation is at a very
low level, it is possible to start "small". Providing a mail-box for the citizen input at the entrance of the City Hall building can be a sign of changes and can motivate citizens to voice their opinion on
different issues that affect their lives or lives of their residents. Both information and communication tools can help bridge the gap between the citizens and local government especially in the case of
the public space development. Improved public hearings, public forums and open meetings for citizens organized in the planning phase, surveys about the citizen vision of a certain public space are all ways
to improve public participation and develop more sustainable and usable public spaces.
3 . Educate public about their rights as taxpayers,
simplifying and explaining administrative procedures.
In many cases local government does not have clearly defined policy on citizen participation or is not yet ready to make major policy or administrative changes that would cause the citizens'
reaction. It is difficult to assess the level of citizen participation in one local government or even to what extent is citizen participation welcomed. Most local governments react to citizen
participation on an "ad hoc" basis, without a long-term strategy, which would include either a representative who would mange the CP process or clear policies defined in the City's Statute. Simplified and
clear administrative policies, and developed long-term strategy on the citizen participation rather than "ad hoc" procedures can provide benefits for both local governments and citizens. In order to create a
policy, one way, for example is to create a task force consisting of local government and citizen representatives or NGOs. The policy needs to provide general rules on how the local issues should be managed.
The draft is usually discussed with the Board and then with the Council who adopts the draft and creates an official policy document. All the decision-making processes and procedures have to conform to the
general policy. On the other side, selecting a representative who will act as a liaison with citizens or NGOs would fasten the process exponentially since that person (or even a department) would focus
entirely on improving relationships with citizen groups and NGOs. Establishing this type of a position helps to manage the citizen/NGO issues in a more effective way. For example, that person could
coordinate different promotional activities, provide a link between different City departments and ensure that citizens' voices are being heard. This type of a position could be combined with a coordinator
for NGOs or with public relations officer position. Especially in the cities where the local government efforts to improve citizen participation are already high, they would benefit even more from
establishing clear policies and selecting a liaison in charge of citizen and NGO matters. Overall outcomes of improved administrative procedures include more organized and effective local government,
increased transparency and openness of local government attitudes toward citizens, and increased motivation among citizen groups (e.g. youth) about local government activities.
4 . Build effective partnerships between community and local
government, as well as other sector representatives through joint activities.
Building effective partnership among different sector representatives, especially citizens and local governments is the ultimate goal for every democratic local government and probably the most difficult
task to achieve. Partnership programs can take a shape e.g. of a contest where criteria and procedures need to be developed very clearly and where citizens and NGOs can be a part of the election
committee. This is a good way to involve citizens to put their own resources and solve local problems without waiting for the local government to resolve them. The partnership programs can be designed and
shaped around the policies that the government is currently implementing and are of common interest for majority of citizens or interest groups (e.g. building a skateboard park for the young people). This
research has proven that one of the most effective ways to build partnerships is around common, non-threatening projects that are of interest for all the participants (e.g public spaces). For example, the
initiative [MU:V] in Rijeka has brought together many different representatives, including the youth, local government and its departments, community councils, schools, NGOs and local businesses with the
ultimate goal to help the youth groups implement their visions and create attractive and usable public spaces. Starting with small and simple projects is also key in bringing different groups together and
keeping their motivation and attention high enough to achieve results. There are many benefits of partnership programs for all sides involved. Partnership programs are an excellent way to help integrate
citizens into community, especially if there is a low level of community integration and little identification as one. Those programs can also help citizens in building their sense of ownership of a project
(e.g. a public space) by putting their own resources and work into small projects. They also teach citizens responsibility to take a pro-active stand and improve their lives. In the case of public
spaces, benefits are enormous, as the citizen input is invaluable in creating safe, attractive and sustainable public spaces. Benefits for the local government are great especially from a political
standpoint since this is an excellent way to reach out to your constituencies and build their support in the next elections. Especially with small projects, such as e.g. the [MU:V] initiative, costs are very
low but the benefits for the local government can be very high in the upcoming elections. In addition, local businesses can benefit greatly from the participation in the partnership programs in terms of
increased promotion for their products, citizens appreciation for their sense of social responsibility and long term by developing commercial activities around some of the concrete citizen initiatives (e.g.
in the case of some public space revitalization efforts, there are usually many opportunity for developing commercial activities, ranging from small shops and stands to larger tourist and promotional
businesses). All these activities at the end, empower community, create healthy lifestyle and contribute to economic development.
5 . Educate children and youth from their earliest age, and
involve them in the decision-making process.
In order to create a better society and democracy it is critical to involve the youngest citizens in the processes of participation and decision-making as early as possible. Some local governments are
aware of this and are promoting different ways to involve children and youth in their activities. One of the most effective ways is through the Youth councils, which have a representation at the City
council. Youth councils is a great tool to involve young people in local government activities and teach them about cooperation with local government, responsibility. They also offer a valuable lesson in
democracy. Through the Youth council, local government is also able to find out about the young people interest and needs and address them more adequately through its strategies and policies toward the
children and youth. This in itself can motivate young people to come forward and become more proactive with the local government. The most effective way in creating the council is through elections in
schools and NGOs working on youth issues. The work of the council should be clearly defined and meaningful. If possible, the council should also have its own share of a budget in order to develop a better
sense of responsibility and ownership. Another effective way to include the children and youth is through different public competitions such as e.g. art competition "My vision of the city" or through
initiatives such as [MU:V] that not only teach the responsibility and team building but also provide an excellent lesson in local government work, partnership building and democracy.
6 . Increase the role of community/neighborhood councils
that work directly with the community.
Community councils or neighborhood councils are often seen as a relic from the communist past but are actually rather direct and valuable ways to reach out to citizens. More effective councils are able to
draw citizen response in a number of ways that include better information to citizens about local issues; open meetings and various neighborhood events that bring people together. Many councils are
unfortunately still ineffective and lack a meaning for their own existence. Critical issue is thus to improve the role of community councils, promote their activities and find more attractive ways to reach
out to citizens. Challenge 2. How to get local authorities to change their current practices by involving community in
decisions that will have an affect on their lives:
1 . Strengthen the capacity of local authorities in planning and
management to facilitate integrated approach and support community-based model to public space development. Trainings and
education are the most effective ways to strengthen the capacity of local authorities and raising their awareness about the importance of citizen participation, or, in the case of public spaces – the
community –based approach to public space development. For example, in the case of Rijeka, Pula and Labin, over 200 people, representatives from different sectors and groups received information and
training in alternative methodologies in planning and designing public spaces. Groups that have received the training as part of the [MU:V] initiative will be able to train others in e.g. how to conduct
a placemaking workshop, organize teams and evaluate space by using different tools and methodologies. Many of them, especially experts in architecture and urban planning will be able to further
educate their colleagues thus raising more awareness about this alternative approach to public space development and citizen participation. 2. Strengthen and coordinate local policies in close cooperation with all stakeholders and
develop mechanisms for enabling citizen participation in decision-making process. This is one of the essential attributes of the community governance approach.Some of the mechanisms were already mentioned above, e.g. developing better information and communication channels and building partnerships with
other sector representatives, including citizens, or interest groups (youth, pensioners, women, minority etc).
3. Encourage the formation of new public-private partnerships and promote transparency and accountability.Public-private partnerships have proven to be one of the most effective ways to manage public projects, especially public properties, such as e.g.
large bankrupt companies. There are many different ways to manage public properties – through an NGO, association or a local foundation. Public parks are an example of urban public spaces that can with
citizen involvement in their design, program planning, and management become true centers for the community and a symbol of pride for the local governments. Parks also provide a great opportunity for
developing civic activism, volunteerism and cooperation between the citizens and local government and offer a ground for developing public-private partnerships that can be implemented in a number of
different ways (see Case study 3). Each local government in partnership with the community needs to find the most
appropriate way to revitalize and manage those public properties. In order to develop a successful redevelopment project the key is to initiate an open and inclusive decision-making process and
involve community early in the process of planning and design. In addition, it is important to hire the best people who both understand the community's needs, as well as coordinate projects
many stages that usually need to account for changing economic, political and social conditions. It is also important to start with general concepts and visions and then work with the community on more
specifics. Some ideas and decisions will not be agreeable for all the participants, but that is also a part of the open and democratic process where it is important to participate and provide an input
and not just be a passive observant. The process that brings many parties together in reaching an agreement, as some experts argue is often more valuable than the result itself.
4. Institutionalize a participatory approach to sustainable urban
and spatial development based on a dialogue between different stakeholders.Based on concrete results, education and
awareness raising, local governments should develop a longer-term strategy on public space development in order to change current inflexible policies and replace them with more proactive, community-based
methods. As argued above, it is necessary to have a policy on citizen participation, rather than act on an "ad hoc" basis. Only by institutionalizing a participatory and community-based approach to
urban public space development can citizens and other stakeholders truly enjoy great places that have been developed with their input and participation, and create stronger partnerships with local
governments.
|
