Approved joint planning documents of the municipality of Rezekne and Rezekne – sustainable development strategy 2035 and development programme 2023 – 2029

At the meeting of the Rēzekne District Council of 20 April 2023 (Protocol No 8, § 6), the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Rezekne and the Rēzekne municipality was approved by 2035 and the final version of the Rēzekne State and Rēzekne District Development Programme 2023-2029, the development programme Rēzekne District Action and Investment Plan. At this day, the municipal council of the municipality of Rezekne (Protocol No 65, paragraph 1) approved the sustainable development strategies of the State of Rezekne and Rezekne until 2035, and the final version of the Rēzekne State and Rēzekne District Development Programme 2023-2029, the development programme Rēzekne countryside action and investment plan.

PLANNING DOCUMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS:

In April and May 2021, the municipal council of Rezekne, Rēzekne Municipality and Viļānu (until 1 July 2021) took a decision on the establishment of the Sustainable Development Strategy of the State of Rezekne and Rezekne until 2035 (hereinafter – the strategy) and the development of the development programme of the Rēzekne State and Rezekne District Development Programme 2023-2029 (hereinafter – the development programme), including confirming the development management team and the work task.

Section 12 (4) of the Territorial Development Planning Law defines (in force from 01.07.2021) that the municipality of Rezekne and the municipality of Rezekne form a joint co-operation institution in order to ensure the development of a common integrated sustainable development strategy and development programmes for the entire territory in accordance with the procedures laid down in this Law.

According to the results of the procurement procedure, the development of both programming documents was carried out by SIA “METRUM” specialists along with the Rēzekne countryside and the municipality of Rezekne municipality.

Notices regarding the commencement of the development of both documents were placed on the municipal web sites, as well as in local government information publications. The decisions and tasks taken were placed in the national geospatial information portal www.geolatvija.lv.

In accordance with Paragraph 5 of Cabinet Regulation No. 157 of 23 March 2004 “the procedures for the performance of the Strategic Assessment of Environmental Impact”, in consultation with the State Environmental Service Rēzekne Regional Environmental Management, the Nature Protection Administration and Health Inspectorate, the opinion of these institutions regarding the potential impact of the implementation of the strategy and development programme on the environment, human health, as well as the application/non-application of the strategic environmental impact assessment was clarified. The replies of these institutions and the submission regarding the initiation of planning documents were sent to the State Bureau of Environmental Monitoring. On 17 February 2022, the National Bureau of Environmental Supervision adopted Decision No 4-02/4/2022 “on the non-application of the strategic environmental impact assessment procedure” for both documents.

On 23 September 2021, a decision was taken at the meeting of the municipality of Rēzekne on amendments to the decision to initiate planning documents. Editorial corrections were made on the basis of the amendments adopted by the Saeima on 1 June 2021 in the Law on Administrative Territories and Population Places, the contract concluded on 20 September 2021 by the municipal council of Rezekne, and the agreement with the developers of the document, where adjustments were made within the time periods for the performance of the work. As well as on the basis of the mutual agreement of local governments, which was facilitated by a meeting organised by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development on 20 September 2021 in Rezekne, in which it was ensured that both local governments have a equal number of votes in the taking of documents necessary for the drafting of documents.

A survey of the population and entrepreneurs was organised within the framework of the development of the strategy and development programme. The survey was held from 24 November to 23 December 2021.

Questionnaires could be completed in both paper and electronic format. In total, 1631 municipalities and the countryside participated in the questionnaires. Summary of survey results published on local government websites.

Meetings of the Thematic Working Groups were organised during the development of the strategy and development agenda. On 15, 26, 30 November and 1 December 2021, thematic working groups were organised, including five: (1) environment, infrastructure, mobility, (2) education, culture, sport, (3) economic development, (4) governance and cooperation and (5) social protection, health, safety. The meeting of the participants of these thematic working groups was to discuss the topical issues of each area, the problems to be solved, the opportunities that the local government and the municipality can realise and the threats to be taken into account in the development planning process. In view of the epidemiological situation in the country and the restrictions imposed on the prevalence of Covid-19, these working groups were organised on a non-spot (remote) videoconferencing mode IN THE MESS environment.

On 31 May 2022, a workshop was held in the administrative building of the municipality of Rezekne, organising four thematic working groups: (1) economic development and governance, (2) social protection, health and safety, (3) education, culture and sport (4) environment, infrastructure and mobility. Their main objective was to provide proposals for the development of the strategy, the setting of the necessary priorities and actions.

On 8 October 2021, the first meeting of the Steering Group (on-the-spot) was held, which discussed organisational issues and agreed on the organisation of future work and the preparation of preparatory work for the project.

A total of six meetings of the management group were organised, both on-site and remote: 08.10.2021, 05.11.2021, 28.04.2022., 03.10.2022., 01.12.2022., 21.02.2023.

Decisions on the transfer of the strategy and development programme of the Rēzekne State and Rēzekne municipality to public consultation were adopted on 23 February 2023 at the meeting of the municipal council of the State of Rēzekne – “on the transfer of the 1 st edition of the joint planning documents of the Rēzekne State and Rezekne to public consultation” (decision No 780, Protocol No 61, § 19) and on 2 March 2023 at the Rēzekne District Council, “on the transfer of the 1 st edition of the joint programming documents of the Republic of Rēzekne and Rezekne to the public consultation and the receipt of opinions” (Decision No 275, Protocol No 5, § 6).

The public consultation took place between 10 March and 6 April 2023.

The notices regarding public consultation and the planned meeting were published on the website of the municipality of Rezekne and the municipality of Rezekne, the Rēzekne countryside informative publication “Rezekne Vēstnesis”, as well as local government social network pages in platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

The printouts of the document were located in the State Service Centre of the State of Rezekne and in the central administration building of Rezekne municipality. An informative poster was used to inform the public regarding public consultation, which was located in the village of Rezekne at the information boards, as well as in other public places.

Similarly, the notices, documents related to the development of the document, were available in the national single geospatial information portal www.geolatvija.lv. The citizens had the opportunity to receive a wide-ranging or remote consultation on issues of interest to the drafting of the document.

As part of the planning documents, everyone had the opportunity to send proposals to the municipality of Rezekne, by post to the address: release alley 93, Rēzekne, LV 4601 or the municipality of Rezekne, by post to: release alley 95a, Rezekne, LV 4601.

Proposals could be sent electronically to e-mail addresses in PVAP@rezekne.lv, or

info@rezeknesnovads.lv. The presentation of proposals and feedback could also be used for this purpose (except for submission in the portal geolatvija.lv): to be filled in electronically in the Internet and to be completed in docx format. In the framework of public consultation, submissions were received, 68 proposals/objections were examined, some of which were received at public consultation meetings.

Public consultation meetings took place: 22 March at 16.00 on the online platform Zoom; 27 March at 12.00 Viļānu in the cultural house; 27 March at 15.00 In the municipality of Rezekne, on 28 March at 15.00 Nautrēnu parish sports hall – cultural house; 28 March at 15.00 Maltas in the administration hall of the association; on 29 March at 12.00 Kaunatas parish in the People's House; 29 March at 15.00 Dricānu in the parish cultural house.

The Latgale Planning Region issued an opinion on the strategy and development programme of the Rēzekne State and Rezekne Municipality in a letter of 30 March 2023, which took the view that after the implementation of the strategy and development programme additions/clarifications, in accordance with the guidelines of the Latgale Planning Region, the direction of the final version of that document would be supported for approval.

The planning documents were clarified and approved.

Development Planning Division Territorial Planner Tatjana Carklence