Frequently Asked Questions

Dahir No. 1-92-31 of June 17, 1992 promulgating Law No. 12-90 on urban planning; Dahir No. 1.60.063 of 25/06/1960 on the development of rural agglomerations; Dahir No. 1-81-254 of May 6, 1992 promulgating Law No. 07-81 on expropriation for public utility and temporary occupation.

An urban planning document that can create communal roads, public squares and communal parking lots, or modify their layout or width, or eliminate them totally or partially.

The order that the president of the communal council may take for the creation, widening or removal of a communal road. The alignment order is accompanied by a plan indicating the limits of the concerned road network. This order may concern a specific operation or may cover the road network of an entire sector.

The Urban Agency provides technical assistance to local authorities in urban planning matters. It is required to give its technical opinion on alignment orders.

An urban planning document is a territorial planning tool. Types include: the Urban Development Master Plan (SDAU), Zoning Plan, Development Plan (PA), Sector Development Plan (PAS) and Rural Agglomeration Development Plan (PDAR).

Urban communes; delimited centers; areas within a 15 km peripheral band of urban communes and delimited centers; urban groupings composed of a commune or delimited center and adjacent rural agglomerations with close economic, functional and social relations.

3 major stages: 1) Document preparation (preliminary studies, territorial analysis, demographic projections, development scenario); 2) Review (consultation with external services, communal deliberation, public inquiry, processing observations); 3) Approval (approval file, submission to the General Secretariat of Government, publication in the Official Bulletin).

The SDAU is a planning tool that establishes, for a 25-year horizon, the broad lines of integrated development of urban agglomerations. It programs land use, the transport system and major facilities. It serves as a guide for preparing development plans and a reference framework for investments. Its provisions are enforceable against the State, local authorities and public institutions.

A regulatory urban planning document intended to preserve the SDAU orientations and a precautionary measure for preparing the development plan. It can only be established for territories with an SDAU. It includes a graphic document and regulations defining land use rules. Its validity period is 2 years. Once approved, it is enforceable against the administration and third parties.

The development plan defines land use rights. It transforms SDAU orientations into enforceable legal prescriptions. It covers zone designations (housing, industry, tourism, commerce, agriculture), areas where construction is prohibited, road network limits, green spaces, public facilities, construction rules and easements. It includes a graphic document and regulations. Its validity period is 10 years.

A regulatory document defining land use rules for rural or urban territories with a specific character (touristic, industrial, etc.) experiencing urbanization dynamics. Its validity period is 10 years. It becomes enforceable against third parties from the closing date of the public inquiry.

A regulatory urban planning document that determines land use rights in rural agglomerations, aiming to create and organize attractive centres while controlling urbanization through mandatory building and subdivision permits. Its validity is 10 years for roads and facilities, and unlimited for easements and zoning.

After completing the preparation and consultation stages, the urban planning document project is displayed at the commune headquarters for one month to allow citizens to submit remarks and observations via a complaints register. The communal council examines and rules on the recorded observations.

Any citizen can obtain information about a piece of land after the public inquiry phase, the stage at which the urban planning document becomes enforceable against third parties.

A zone where no construction may be erected, regulated by an easement imposed in urban planning documents for protection or public interest. These easements protect cemetery areas, infrastructure, coastal zones, forests, rivers and architectural heritage.

A zone mainly designated for housing and essential nearby community facilities, according to housing type (economic housing, villas or apartment buildings).

An urban planning rule that defines the authorized building density within a development plan zone. It is the ratio of covered square meters to the plot area.

Any sale or partition operation dividing a property into two or more lots not intended for construction; any undivided sale that would grant any buyer co-ownership rights on parcels smaller than the minimum set by urban planning documents or 2,500 m² in their absence.

An obligation imposed in urban planning documents for protection or public interest: non aedificandi easement (construction prohibition), alignment easement, portico easement, visibility easement on public roads.

A precautionary measure taken when a development plan study is decided, to prevent new constructions that could compromise the future plan's options. Its use is optional except when a newly approved SDAU's orientations conflict with older plans, or when a zoning plan requires it.

The legally defined limits of an urban commune or delimited center. This delimitation serves as the basis for establishing urban planning documents and allows control of construction, subdivision and land division operations, as well as knowledge of tax revenue volumes.