Local Government Planning for Coastal Protection: a Case Study of Cantabrian Municipalities, Spain Author(S): D
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Coastal Education & Research Foundation, Inc. Local Government Planning for Coastal Protection: A Case Study of Cantabrian Municipalities, Spain Author(s): D. W. Fischer, V. Rivas, A. Cendrero Source: Journal of Coastal Research, Vol. 11, No. 3 (Summer, 1995), pp. 858-874 Published by: Coastal Education & Research Foundation, Inc. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4298386 Accessed: 12/05/2010 12:24 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=cerf. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Coastal Education & Research Foundation, Inc. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Coastal Research. http://www.jstor.org JournalofCoastal Research 11 3 858-874Fort Lauderdale, FloridaSummer 1995 Local Government Planning for Coastal Protection: A Case Study of CantabrianMunicipalities, Spain D. W. Fischert, V. Rivast and A. Cendrerot tGraduate Center for Public tD.C.T.T.Y.M. Divisi6n Ciencias Policy and Administration de la Tierra California State University Facultad de Ciencias Long Beach, CA 90840, U.S.A. Universidad de Cantabria 39005 Santander, Spain ABSTRACT I FISCHER.D.W.; RIVAS, V., and CENDRERO,A., 1995.Local governmentplanning for coastal protec- tion:A case study of Cantabrianmunicipalities, Spain. Journal of CoastalResearch, 11(3), 858-874. Fort Lauderdale(Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. ,ffRA This paper describes a survey of Cantabrianlocal public officials to determine the degree of coastal protectionwithin their municipaljurisdictions. The Cantabriancoastal zone has been intensivelystudied by physicalscientists and Span implementeda recent coastal protectionlaw. Given the growingdevel- opmentpressures in coastal Cantabria,the study was undertakento assess the emphasisgiven to coastal planningby local governments.The findingsshow that the municipalitieslack basic knowledgeof their coastal zones and strive to develop them for greatertourism use rather than create managementplans for coastalprotection. ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS: Local officials, coastal protection, coastal hazards, Spain. INTRODUCTION and urbanization. Spanish citizens are moving from inland areas to settle in urban enclaves Spain's coastal zone spans some 7,880 km of along the coast and over of the coastline borderingon three seas: the Cantabrian, presently 54% popu- lation live within km the Mediterraneanand the Atlantic.While Spain's 50 of the sea. With a de- interiorand a coastal capital is located in the center of the country, it populating highly populated investments in is a coastal-orientednation.' Spain's coastal zone fringe, major infrastructurehave been for the coastal zone to receives massive foreign and domestic tourism targeted include mod- ernization of (tourismaccounts for 10% of total earningsin the ports, airports, highways, sewage treatment facilities and New de- country, according to the Ministry of Industry, parks. housing also concentrate Commerceand Tourism; press releases, January velopment to a great extent on the coast. Coastal works are a 1994). Spain's fishing fleet represents about half protective large item in the national based on a recent of the European Community fishing fleet, and budget national that an investment of Spaniards consume high amounts of seafood. As plan contemplates U.S. million over a of 15 a manufacturing nation, Spain has the eighth $1500 period years (GA- largest economy in the world (OECD, 1993). LLARDO,1993). All of this economic interest in the coastal zone During the last two or three decades coastal in has taken means that the Spanish coast is under enormous development Spain place mainly along the Mediterraneancoast and the Balearic and Ca- developmentpressure. While fishing and industry Islands because of their with are large users of the coast, tourism is the driving nary popularity northern force behind much of new coastal development European tourists. The resulting devel- opments have generated considerable environ- mental damage along many coastal segments. The northern coast, with relatively high rainfall and fewer hours of sun has 94022 received and accepted 5 May 1994. per year, experienced less 'A recent study noted that large coastal nations with inland capitals development pressure and is, as a result, in better did not tend to be orientedto their coastal zone. This statement would appearnot to applyto Spain.See SORENSEN,J; MCCREARY,S., and BRANDANI, environmentalcondition. Development pressures A. (1992).Arreglos institucionales para manejar ambientes y recursoscos- have increased in the northern coastal zone, and teros.Kingston: Coastal Resources Center, University of RhodeIsland, p. 26. there is growing concern of degradation similar Local Planning, Cantabria, Spain 859 to that observed along the Mediterranean.How- and concessions in cooperation with regional ever, the northern coast is in a better position for and local governments. ensuring a balanced development of this coastal The distribution of powers with respect to the area that integrates environmentalaspects. coastal zone between the central, regional and lo- Given these major coastal concerns, it is not cal governments is not completely clear. The re- surprising that Spain has moved to legislate for gional level of authority, only established in 1982, the protection of the coast. The Shores Act of are autonomous levels of government which have 1988 was founded on several premises (MINISTRY only begun to legislate in the area of coastal plan- OF PUBLIC WORKS AND URBANISM, 1989): ning. The region of Cantabriais one of these new -shift in population to the coast with a density regional authorities which are similar to states in four times higher than the national average; the U.S. The key matters of approvalswithin 100 -rapid privatizationand developmentof the coast m public shoreline easement and local municipal with reduced public access, increased shore- zoning plans affecting the coast require approvals front construction,high density transportroutes from the appropriatefield offices of the Ministry and unprocessed waste; of Public Works and Urbanization (MOPU). -shoreline erosion and loss of salt marshes from However,the regional authority is responsiblefor public and private development; final approval of local zoning plans, general land -loss of inherent public values through the deg- use planning, urban planning and housing devel- radation of the natural coastal environment; opment. Because most regionalgovernments have -fragmented legislative coverage of coastal uses not yet passed coastal legislation, active planning and rights of use. of coastal lands is done by municipalities through their land use These must Because of these concerns The Shores Act sets general plans. plans conform to the established forth a new to the coastal zone to in- general guidelines by approach master but the lack of def- clude: regional plans, precise inition of the coastal zone within the region and -creation of a 100 m protection easement in un- how it is integrated into this three tiered system developed areas of the coast and a 20 m pro- means that municipalitiesset the stage for coastal tection zone in urbanized areas2; planning (SuAREZ DE VIVERO, 1992). -creation of 500 m zone of influence inland from The objective of this paper is to report on the the landward limit of the shoreline to ensure status of coastal planning in Cantabrian munic- adequate public access and stricter zoning of ipalities relative to their general plans. A second- building density; ary objective is to assess the extent of existing -shift in the concept of coastal propertyto public knowledge about the natural environment and uses that involve no fixed installations; hazards in this coastal area by local officials re- -declaration of public property for all areas of sponsible for planning and development deci- shoreline accretion, small islands, sea flooding, sions. This research relies on a case study ap- cliffs, etc. proach to understandhow the coastal municipali- -beaches declared as public property with strict ties in one autonomous region of northern Spain limits on locating concessions and installations respond to development pressures. supporting beach uses; -forbidding drainageof all salt marshesand min- SELECTEDPREVIOUS STUDIES of sand and in rivers and ing gravel beaches; Most research on coastal and waste and fill in the coastal focusing planning -regulating disposal is at the national and state or area of development pro- influence; vincial levels. Far fewer studies have focused on -regulating coastal development