In order to stop new development in areas previously consumed by forest fires, Spanish firefighters are using a little known law that prohibits new building's within a 500 meter (0.3 miles) radius of a cemetery.
Peter Walker of The Independentreports that Spanish firefighters have taken a new tack to preserve former forest lands from being overrun with new development by creating empty cemeteries. Following a 2015 law that allowed new development to occur in burned out areas two years after a fire, the Spanish Forest Firefighters National Association (ANBF) started a campaign to protect the areas and to reduce further deforestation in the country. ANBF has taken advantage of Article 50 of Spain's Cemetery Law, which prohibits the construction of new buildings with 300 meters of a cemetery. The campaign is encouraging city councils to protect burned forest land by building faux-cemeteries on the sites.
ANBF spokesman Iñigo Hernandez tells The Independent that the organization hopes the campaign will help to reduce the intentional setting of fires across the country, which between 2000 and 2012 saw forest area twice the size of Luxembourg lost to fire.
FULL STORY: Spanish firefighters are trying to build 'fake graveyards' to stop urban sprawl
Barcelona Buys Building to Prevent Tenant Evictions
One apartment building — and its tenants who faced eviction — became a potent symbol of the city’s growing housing crisis.
Spain Moves to Regulate Short-Term Rentals
Calls for regulation at the national level have prompted lawmakers to consider limiting tourist rentals amidst a growing housing crisis.
Madrid Uses Transit System for Parcel Delivery to Cut Emissions
A new pilot program uses trains to deliver packages at off-peak hours, lowering emissions from trucks.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.
Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.
Zero-Emission Bus Fleets Grow, But Federal Funding Is in Jeopardy
Transit agencies around the country have purchased over 7,000 zero-emission buses, but a federal program that funds the shift could be eliminated under the new administration.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Wisconsin Governor Opens Window for Regional Transit Authority
The proposed state budget includes a provision that allows local governments to establish a dedicated transit tax.
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.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Strategic Economics Inc
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service