As part of its entrance into the European Union, Bulgaria was required to submit a list of territories it wanted to have protected. The list has fallen short of environmentalists' hopes, and gone too far in the minds of landowners and investors.
"The dispute is over Natura 2000, an environmental network of protected sites and the cornerstone European Union legislation on nature- and biodiversity-protection."
"Like all new EU entrants since 1992, when the enabling legislation was passed, Bulgaria was supposed to submit its proposed list of protected territories when it joined the EU, on Jan. 1, 2007."
"Finally approved by the cabinet on Feb. 15, the list pleased no one. Environmental activists are demanding that more territory be included. Investors and property- owners are fighting to keep their lands out, complaining that plans to compensate them fall far short of giving them fair value for their land."
"While accenting the importance of protecting Bulgaria's rich biodiversity for future generations, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said there was also 'the necessity to guarantee the conditions for stable and quick economic development for our country in its various regions and to defend investor interest which has been shown or is already being realized.'"
FULL STORY: An EU directive pits environmentalists against developers in Bulgaria
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Placer County
Mayors' Institute on City Design
City of Sunnyvale
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP), the Department of City and Regional Planning (CRP)
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
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Baton Rouge Area Foundation