Zoning and Construction
Master and Implementation Zoning Plans; Plan Notes
The tiers of zoning plans, the difference between the master zoning plan and the implementation zoning plan, plan amendments, and how plan notes affect a parcel.
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Planning in Turkey follows a hierarchy that runs from the broadest scale down to the parcel. The plan that directly determines a parcel's fate is the implementation zoning plan, but the implementation plan must conform to the higher-scale plans above it.
Plan tiers
| Plan | Scale | What it determines |
|---|---|---|
| Spatial strategy and environmental plans | Region / province | General land-use decisions, directions of growth |
| Master zoning plan (nazım imar planı) | Usually 1:5,000 | Residential, commercial and industrial areas, main roads, densities |
| Implementation zoning plan (uygulama imar planı) | Usually 1:1,000 | Blocks, building plots, TAKS/KAKS, height, setback distances |
Plan notes
Alongside the drawings on the plan sheet are written provisions governing how the plan is applied, known as plan notes. Plan notes can include rules that significantly affect a parcel's development, such as parking requirements, basement-floor use, facade arrangement, or special provisions for urban transformation or protected areas.
Plan amendments
Zoning plans can be amended by municipal councils and the relevant authorities. Amendments are posted publicly and can be objected to during that period. Plan decisions can be challenged before the administrative courts; a court's annulment of a plan can also affect permitting in that area.
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