Metropolitan Growth Summary Report | Amman Institute

Summary Report THE AMMAN PLANMetropolitan Growth

THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH SUMMARY REPORT THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

2 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Summary Report THE AMMAN PLANMetropolitan Growth Summary Report THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 3

The Amman Plan:Metropolitan GrowthSummary ReportPublished by Greater Amman MunicipalityMay 2008P.O. Box 13212 – Ali Bin Abi Taleb StreetHai Al-Muhajereen – Madina DistrictAmman, JordanWebsite: www.ammancity.gov.joEmail: ammanplan@ammancity.gov.jo THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

King Abdullah II’s Message 7 Message from the Mayor 9 Vision 10 Aspirations 13 Introduction 14A Amman Plan 17A.1 Planning Context 18A.2 Amman Plan 20A.3 Planning Approach and Component Plans 24B Metropolitan Growth Plan 29B.1 Metropolitan Growth Plan 30B.2 Metropolitan Growth Plan: Components 38 a) Limited and No Growth Areas 38 b) Metropolitan Transportation and Transit 46 c) Primary Growth Areas 50 d) Metropolitan Services 58B.3 Growth Models and Development Densities 60C Metropolitan Growth Plan Implementation 65C.1 Implementation Approach and Tools 66C.2 Phasing Plan 70C.3 Financing Infrastructure and Services 76C.4 Institutional and Regulatory Framework 77 Glossary 80 Acknowledgements 83 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 5

HM King Abdullah II’s Message“To achieve the optimum balance of healthy growth and quality living,flourishing expansion and organized districts, 21st century conveniencesand traditional character, we must embark on a serious and comprehensiveproject of city planning for Amman.” Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein Amman, 5 Rabi’ Al Thani 1427 Hijri 3 May 2006 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 7

Message from The Mayor“Our City is a reflection of ourselves. It is our office to work in; it is ourhome to raise a family in; and it is our playground to relax in. It is where wespend our lives. All of us have seen Amman grow over the past several years withtremendous impact on transportation and other services, including ourneighborhoods and unique cityscape. This development has been happeningwithout a plan; we can no longer afford to grow without direction for itwill damage what is special about Amman and we will miss opportunities tobecome a modern world city while retaining the soul of our community. The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) has embarked on thepreparation of its first official Amman Plan. This Plan will be the City’sblueprint for sustainable development and will help Jordan achieve theobjectives outlined by the National Agenda. It will guide the growth of ourcommunity and address such issues as the built and natural environment,culture and heritage, transportation and infrastructure, and communitydevelopment . . . We are committed to preparing this Amman Plan based on communityinput so that it reflects the aspirations of our citizens. Such aspirations beginwith a Vision of what we want our City to be, rather than just reacting tocurrent problems . . .” Mayor Omar Maani THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 9

Vision Amman 2025 Amman is a bustling World City that has been able to blend its rich natural and cultural heritage and its unique cityscape with modern urban development. The City takes special pride in its cultural mosaic, celebrates pluralism, and has become a model of multiculturalism in the Arab world. In Amman’s hinterland, the City Government has been careful to protect the traditional villages that dot the landscape, maintaining their cultural integrity and traditional lifestyles. Amman has become a favourite destination for travelers; for many, visiting Amman is a pilgrimage. The annual Amman Festival is a world event, attracting more than a million visitors. The Festival celebrates Arab arts and culture, explores the spirituality of Islam, and builds on The Amman Message that was drafted nearly twenty years ago. The City has established itself as the Capital of Agreement and Reconciliation within the region. The Amman Message has forged an international East-West cultural bridge, establishing goodwill and friendship that has extended into the business world. As a result, Amman has become a major centre for investment in the Middle East. The City’s knowledge-based industries are flourishing, particularly the spin-off activity resulting from innovation at the R&D incubators on the campuses of its major universities. Amman has become the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) ‘back-office’ for many international companies, with state-of-the art business parks providing technical and professional(left, top to bottom) Conserving our culturalheritage; Celebrating a pluralist city;Protecting our unique cityscape;(right) Greening the city10 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Amman: a World Cityservices ranging from software development and web hosting to legal, that takes you a stepaccounting, engineering, and architectural services. Amman is now the hub beyond, for it is a Cityfor Arab-language call centres. Amman’s biomedical research and medical tourism sector has fully with a Soul!matured and is attracting clients from both the MENA region and WesternEurope. Major outsource contracts with the public health agencies ofHolland, France, and Italy have provided stability and growth to this sector.The recognition that its knowledge-based sectors are world-class has givenAmman, and Jordan, a unique edge in the MENA region, while providing thetraditional tourism sector with a tremendous boost. To ‘feed-the-soul’, Amman has evolved into a centre of the arts in theArab world. The Darat King Abdullah II is a world-class architectural marvel.The Cultural Village that has grown up around the Darat King Abdullah IIincludes the region’s leading theatre and visualarts school. It also houses an arts and culturalincubator of affordable studios, which allowsartists from Jordan and elsewhere to celebratetheir craft. This creative activity has spun-off avibrant cultural industry that is now recognizedaround the globe; it has become known as theAmman Movement. Amman is a city of choice. One can step backin history by walking through the designatedheritage districts. These pedestrian-friendlyneighbourhoods have been thoughtfully restoredand generously landscaped to provide ampleshade. Traffic is limited to local residents onlyand a careful blend of inclusive residential andcommercial development makes this area a favorite destination. The oldDowntown has been transformed into a meeting place for Ammanis andhas been ‘greened’ to become the City’s ‘lung’. The heart of the City blendsculture, the arts, history, commerce, and residential development, and nowforms a major tourist destination for the country. For those with an interest in contemporary living, Amman providesample options. The City is known for its distinctive architectural style.Partnerships between the design community, the City Government, andinvestors have resulted in a carefully crafted city design that respects localtopography and historic built form, reflects the creativity of the Amman (top) Centre for Arts in the Arab World: Zaha Hadid Architects’ design for theMovement, and is unique to Amman. Competition for the Darat King Abdullah II; Zahran Boulevard – Amman’s signature street – is an example of the (bottom) Nurturing the City’s medicalimpact the Amman Movement has had on the design of the city; it is a blend knowledge sectorof contemporary architecture that has a unique Ammani texture and feel. The THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 11

streetscape boasts a wide promenade, with outdoor living spaces and cafes that link into a pedestrian network. This network extends into the Sweifieh District, which is now a fashion district with pedestrian shopping streets and lofts - both design studios and residences. Dotted with exclusive clothing and jewelry shops, boutique hotels, and restaurants, the district has become the SoHo District of the Arab world and is a favorite destination for Emirate shoppers. The Abdali Central Business District has become a vibrant centre for commerce and modern living, and has been connected with a public transit system that provides easy access from all parts of the metropolitan area. Public transit ridership is made up of all sectors of society, and the City’s integrated transportation system has become a best practice model that is being replicated in all major Arab cities. Amman’s physical growth has been carefully planned, and the Intensification and Densification Policy adopted nearly twenty years ago has paid off. Metropolitan Amman’s hinterland(above) A pedestrian city; (below left) Tourism has been protected from urban sprawl and presents Ammanis with anProjects: Proposed arts and crafts market at undisturbed and varied landscape, including arid desert, gently sloping hillsthe former electrical company hanger; (belowright) Inclusive community: engaging our with lush vegetation, and a productive agricultural area that specializes inchildren organic produce - now in high demand in a health-conscious Amman. This organic agriculture also supplies a thriving export market. Ammani families continue the old habit of escaping the City’s summer heat, and protected green reserves, which serve as the ‘lungs of the city’, provide for quiet shady settings where families can enjoy Friday outings. Amman has become known as an inclusive and socially responsible city. In 2006, the Greater Amman Municipality began a program of Corporate Social Responsibility. It also created a ‘social contract’ between the private sector, non-governmental organizations, international donors, and government to assist those with special needs. This relationship has provided ample affordable housing, developed centres for those with special needs, retrofitted the City for Ammanis with disabilities, and created a community development program that secures meaningful employment for under-privileged residents. The current Mayor of Amman is a ‘graduate’ of the Child Friendly Initiative, as are nearly a third of City Council members. The City motto is ‘Citizens First!’, and leadership and civic responsibility are the cornerstones of Amman’s success. This success is the legacy of an initiative that began over twenty years ago - the City is now harvesting its fruits. We have built a sustainable city with a bright future. We continually aspire to move Amman a step beyond; we are a City with a Soul!12 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

AspirationsReflecting this Vision, we foresee Amman evolving into:• An Efficient City• An Inclusive and Multicultural City• A City with Citizen-Centered Governance• A Destination City for Investment and Visitors• A City of Heritage and the Arts (above) Protecting our natural• A Green, Sustainable City heritage; (middle left) A child- friendly city; (far left) A multi-• A City for Pedestrians cultural city; (below middle) New Abdali Central Business District; (bottom) Blending the past with the present THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 13

Introduction The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) is pleased to present this introduction to the evolving Amman Plan. The Amman Plan is a work in progress, being built and refined as different layers of planning are undertaken in Amman, and will remain so through to its 2025 horizon and beyond. The Amman Plan presents a somewhat unorthodox approach to metropolitan, urban, and community planning. Conventional ‘Master Plans’ are typically structured from the top down – that is, from the larger, metropolitan scale down to the small community scale – in a progressively more detailed sequence. The Amman Plan is being created at all scales simultaneously, from both the top down and the bottom up. The Amman Plan has been prepared under the guidance and shared vision of the Mayor and the Greater Amman Municipal Council, the Central Government Ministries, the Mayor’s Roundtable, urban professionals, and many of Amman’s informed and concerned citizens. In many respects, it reflects current government planning and the ambitions of the National Strategy. As much as possible, it also reflects the intimate knowledge and passion of the countless admirers and inhabitants who call Amman home. The Amman Plan has been prepared under the Authority of the Royal Decree that set the process in motion and under the legal authority of the Cities, Villages, and Buildings Planning Law, No. 79 of 1966. This report is a summary of the full Amman Plan, which contains the policy that will be used to guide day-to-day planning in the City, and is presented in three sections:14 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Section A of this report describes the overall approach and framework ofthe Amman Plan, which responds to the pressing growth challenges facingGAM at a variety of planning scales. Section B provides an overview of the Amman Plan’s primary responseto the City’s growth challenges: the Metropolitan Growth Plan (MGP). TheMGP and its subsidiary plans establish a growth framework that is responsiveto Amman’s varied landscape and rich history. Section C of this report assembles various tools that will be used toensure that the Amman Plan can be implemented and financed by GAM,various public utilities, and the Central Government. THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 15

A16 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Amman PlanA.1 Planning Context 18A.2 Amman Plan 20A.3 Planning Approach and Component Plans 24 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 17

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A.2 Amman Plan The Amman Plan is an ongoing and evolving series of interrelated and coordinated plans for the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM). Its main challenge is to accommodate Amman’s projected growth to 2025, and to do so it will: • Provide a Vision of the future growth of the City • Provide a Policy Framework to guide the physical development of the City to the year 2025 • Include multiple Component Plans at different planning levels – Metropolitan, Planning Area, and Community Planning Boundary The Greater Amman Municipal Boundary serves as the Metropolitan Planning Area boundary for the Amman Plan. This Metropolitan Planning Area consists of 1,661,904 dunums (1,662 square kilometres) and includes the recent 2007 amalgamations (see Map 2) Map 2: Greater Amman Municipal Boundary and Amalgamation Areas20 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

TO IRBID ZARQA SALT 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL KING OF BAHRAINTO DEAD SEA PARK TO A ZRA Q AIRPORT MADABA TO AQA B A LEGEND Greater Amman Municipal Boundary GAM Area before 2007: 705 km2 GAM Amalgamation after 2007: 957 km2 TOTAL: 1,662 km2 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 21

Planning Scales The Amman Plan features sequential scales of planning and corresponding levels of planning detail within an overall plan hierarchy (see Figure 4): Metropolitan Scale: Relates to the entire 1,662-square-kilometre Metropolitan Planning Area and is the scale of the Metropolitan Growth Plan - the subject of Sections B and C of this report.Figure 4: Amman Plan: Planning Scales Metropolitan Growth Plan Scale ZARQA SALT 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL KIN KING KING OF IN KING BAHRA BAHRA N AHRAIN HRA HRA R BAHRAIN PARK A AR ARK PARK MADABA AIRPORT22 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Planning Area Scale: The Metropolitan Planning Area will be split into eight Planning Areas to provide a finer scale of planning detail. Area Plans, when completed, will be based on the Metropolitan Growth Plan and will include elements such as land use and major road alignments.Community Scale: Occurs at the level of 228 existing neighbourhoods, which can be broken into smaller planning blocks. Community Plans for these neighbourhoods will provide the greatest level of planning detail, including detailed zoning and local road networks. ARAFAT NODE AIR PO RT RO AD AL YADOUDA Um Al Kondom SOUTH PARK ADC Metro Gateway Planning Area Scale Inner South Planning Area Metro Gateway Community Plan THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 23

A.3 Planning Approach and Component Plans The Amman Plan is being developed in seven Planning Phases that define a range of Plan Components (see Figure 5 on page 27), each developed at one of the Planning Scales defined in Section A.3. The Amman Plan initially undertook bottom-up, community-level planning in response to immediate and critical pressures to develop tall buildings, urban corridors, industrial areas, residential compounds, and the Airport Road. Phases 1-4 described below reflect these first steps. Phase 1: Amman Plan for Tall Buildings (formerly Interim Growth Strategy) The Amman Plan began at the community scale, with the preparation of the Amman Plan for Tall Buildings that focused on the location, planning, design, and regulation of ‘High-Density Mixed-Use’ (HDMU) development, including the location and regulation of tall buildings. Phase 2: Corridor Intensification Strategy The Amman Plan continued at the community scale with the Corridor Intensification Strategy for ten separate but interconnected urban transportation corridors located in the west-central part of Amman and measuring over 40 kilometres in total length (e.g., Mecca, King Abdullah II, Queen Rania II, Zahran, and Arar). Phase 3: Industrial Lands Policy The Industrial Lands Policy designates industrial areas in selected locations where scattered industrial development applications can be consolidated with appropriate access to housing, transit and other urban amenities (e.g., Al Jeezah Industrial Area and Sahab – Al Mouwaqer Corridor). This policy also introduces a new industrial classification system.24 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Phase 4-A: Outlying Settlements Policy(formerly Rural Residential Policy)The Outlying Settlement Policy is a response to increasing interest inresidential developments, particularly large-scale compound and gatedcommunities, beyond the Amman Development Corridor in GAM’s outlyingareas. This policy designates four growth areas around existing villages whereoutlying settlement development will be consolidated.Phase 4-B: Airport Corridor PlanThe Airport Corridor Plan contains proposed conceptual land use plans forfive communities that will be developed in phases from north to south: ArafatIntersection, South Park, Al-Yadouda, Metro Gateway, and Alia InternationalAirport. This plan also addresses the expansion and development of the newMetro-Park.Phase 5: Metropolitan Growth Plan(2008 - This Document)The Metropolitan Growth Plan is the highest-scale component of theAmman Plan. It provides an overall settlement structure and growth frame-work with supporting policies for the entire Metropolitan Planning Areaand encompasses all earlier and subsequent plans. This Plan also includes aPhasing Plan to provide guidance for planned capital improvements.Phase 6: Area Plans(2008 forward)Two Area Plans are scheduled for preparation and approval in 2008. Thesewill likely be the Central Area Plan and the Inner South Area Plan. TheseArea Plans will provide a link between the larger-scale Metropolitan GrowthPlan and the more detailed Community Plans. continued . . . THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 25

Phase 7: Planning Initiatives (2008 forward) Further components of the Amman Plan will include Metropolitan Corridor Plans, Urban Corridor Plans, further Area Plans, Heritage Studies, Urban Design Studies, Community Plans, and Sector Plans (e.g. Affordable Housing and Economic Development). Some additional studies of these types are already underway and listed here: Amman Development Corridor Master Plan Amman Metropolitan Transportation Study Amman Housing Plan Inner East Area Plan Amman Heritage Studies Amman Urban Design Studies Zahran Heritage Study Airport Corridor Detailed Design Government City Amman Urban Corridors Community Plans Figure 5: Amman Plan: Planning Framework This overall Planning Framework represents the individual plan components included in the Amman Plan and identifies the various tools that will be used to implement them.26 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

N A T I O N A L P O L I C I E S (National Agenda) AMMAN VISION AND ASPIRATIONS METROPOLITAN GROWTH PLAN Limited / No Growth Primary Growth Transportation and Infrastructure Openspace Mineral Natural Cultural Agriculture and Public Housing Employment Growth Corridors Energy and Telecomm- Water and Storm Water Solid Waste Transit and Extraction Heritage Heritage Institutions Centers Electricity unicatios Watsewater Management Management Roads AREA GROWTH PLANSTHE AMMAN PLAN North West Central Inner South Inner East Outer East Outer South South West AMMAN PLAN COMMUNITY PLANS Amman Plan for Tall Buildings Corridor Intensification Strategy Outlying Settlements Policy Industrial Lands Policy Airport Road Concept Plan Amman Development Corridor Outer East Area Plan Amman Heritage/Conservation StudiesMETROPOLITAN GROWTH Inner East Area Plan Zahran Corridor Heritage Study Airport Corridor Detailed Design Government City Amman Urban Corridors Amman Urban Design Studies To be continued ... IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS SECTOR STRATEGIES Regulations Public Infrastructure Public Governance and Development Urban Design Public/Private Public Zoning and Incentives Works Programs Public Participation Review Guidelines Partnerships Projects Completed Community Plans Community Plans in Progress27

B28 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

MetropolitanGrowth PlanB.1 Metropolitan Growth Plan 30B.2 Metropolitan Growth Plan: Components 38 a) Limited and No Growth Areas 38 b) Metropolitan Transportation and Transit 46 c) Primary Growth Areas 50 d) Metropolitan Services 58B.3 Growth Models and Development Densities 60 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 29

B.1 Metropolitan Growth Plan The Metropolitan Growth Plan (MGP) is the primary component of the Amman Plan. The MGP provides the overall framework that unites and coor- dinates all other component plans. This framework is spatial and structural in nature but is also policy- and process-based. The MGP answers the most fundamental questions about the future of urban growth in Amman until 2025: • Where should the City grow? • Where should the City be prevented from growing? • How should growth be structured, organized, phased, and financed? • Which policies should guide this growth? Planning and Development Principles The MGP reflects the following planning and development principles: • Encourage compact urban growth in order to make the best use of existing services, promote increased transit use, improve pedestrian accessibility, and improve affordability for both the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) and its residents • Direct growth to both existing built-up areas, in order to make the best use of existing services, and to new designated expansion areas that are located close to the urban core • Promote mixed land use in general, and a mix of residential and employment uses in particular, in order to foster a diverse economy and to limit commuting times • Promote clear distinctions between urban, suburban, and, traditional communities in order to protect valuable environmental and agricultural lands and to support traditional lifestyles and culture • Focus GAM’s transportation policy on moving people and goods rather than moving vehicles • Promote public transit and develop a transportation system that offers choice • Provide for a safe and convenient pedestrian environment that is integrated with other modes of transportation • Conserve the cultural heritage of the City, including modern and ancient heritage • Create a connected Natural Heritage System that protects and connects important environmental features - forests, wadis, highlands, deserts, and water aquifers - at the same time as it accommodates a network of public walking trails and urban parks throughout the City30 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Metropolitan Growth ScenariosThe conceptual foundation for the MGP is based on an examination of threealternative scenarios of settlement expansion and intensification sufficient tocontain the projected population growth in Amman by the year 2025 (from2,200,000 to 6,500,000 people) (see Figure 6). Applying the planning anddevelopment principles described above, each scenario was evaluated. Thepreferred scenario became the foundation for the MGP.Scenario 1: The City continues to grow as it has for the past 10-15 years,primarily through outward expansion onto undeveloped land and at thecurrent overall density of 5 persons per dunum. This scenario will fill most ofthe Metropolitan Planning Area by 2025 and will require the development ofmost of the existing agricultural land.Scenario 2: The City grows through an equal combination of intensification(see Glossary) of existing built-up areas and outward expansion ontoundeveloped land, resulting in an overall density of 10 persons per dunum.Growth in this scenario is largely contained within the Amman DevelopmentCorridor, but ‘spills over’ this boundary in the Sahab-Al Mouwaqer area anda limited number of other designated areas.Scenario 3: The City grows through a greater emphasis on intensificationcombined with densification (see Glossary), resulting in a further reductionin perimeter expansion and an increase in overall density to 15 persons perdunum. Development is fully contained within the Amman DevelopmentCorridor.Scenario 1 was judged to be unsustainable, unaffordable, and destructiveto the development character of Amman. Scenario 3 was judged to be onlypartially achievable given current development conditions, pressures, andconstraints. A hybrid of Scenario 2 and Scenario 3 was selected, combiningthe land requirements of Scenario 2 with the intensification and densificationfeatures of Scenario 3. Figure 6: Metropolitan Growth Scenarios 008) ) Current Built-up Area (2008) Urban Expansion (2025) Agricultural Land Scenario 1: Scenario 2: Scenario 3: Status Quo Intensification + Expansion Intensification + Densification + ExpansionDensity (people/donum) 5 10 15Urban Envelope (sq.km) 840 340 170Prime Agricultural Land Impacted (sq. km) 474 225 96Cost of New Road Infrastructure (Billion JD) 3.5 1.5 1.0 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 31

Metropolitan Growth Plan The MGP provides a spatial growth framework and policies to guide future detailed area, community, and corridor planning. The complete spatial plan is presented on Map 3. Individual components of the MGP are described and illustrated separately below in Section B.2. The MGP uses the following specific key growth designations that define the spatial growth of the City. These designations are visually represented and defined further in Figure 7 (also see Glossary for more detailed definitions of growth designations): Primary Growth Areas: Within Primary Growth Areas, the MGP defines Settlement Areas, Employment Areas, Metropolitan Corridors, and Metropolitan Growth Centres, which will absorb most of Amman’s growth to 2025. Within the Primary Growth Area, the MGP defines an Urban Envelope, which includes the existing core built-up areas of Amman and extends beyond them in designated areas to align with the Amman Development Corridor. This Urban Envelope will contain 85 percent of Amman’s new growth. Limited and No Growth Areas: Limited and No Growth Areas include Natural Heritage Areas, Cultural Heritage Areas, Agricultural Areas, and Mining and Quarry Areas where development is limited or prohibited. Map 3: Metropolitan Growth Plan 202532 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

ZARQASALT 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL KING OF BAHRAIN PARK MADABA AIRPORT LEGEND g Amman Metropolitan Boundary Major Heritage Landscapes Built Up Areas Natural Heritage System Motorway Expansion Areas Quarry and Mineral Extraction Lease Areas Rural Expressway Metropolitan Corridor Quarry and Mineral Extraction Areas Urban Expressway Metropolitan Growth Centres Rangelands Major Arterial Built Employment Croplands Railway Expansion Employment Core Cultural Heritage Centres / Major Antiquities Potential High-Order Transit Corridors Open Space System THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 33

PRIMARY LIMITED and GROWTH AREAS NO GROWTH AREAS Settlement Built Up Areas: Natural Heritage Areas: absorb 45% of future prevent development population growth within around environmentally existing communities and sensitive areas, including built up areas key watersheds, wadis and forest areas Settlement Expansion Areas: absorb 55% of future Cultural Heritage Areas: population growth on protect significant cultural land that is currently or historical artifacts and undeveloped antiquities Metropolitan Corridors: allow significant intensification along designated por- Rangeland Areas: tions with high-order transit provide a buffer around service settlements for limited agriculture, desert reclamation, and water harvesting Metropolitan Growth Centres: allow High Density and mixed Cropland Areas: use development that will strenghthen agricultural absorb significant population communities and limit growth and support high- sprawl on Amman’s prime order transit service rainfed agricultural areas Employment Built-Up Areas & Quarry and Mineral Employment Expansion Areas: Extraction Areas: absorb industrial, commercial protect the existing and office uses over the next resource extraction land 25 years through intensifica- and employment base tion of Employment Built-Up Areas and additional expansion within Employment Ex- pansion Areas34 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Growth ConceptFigure 8 provides a different view of the MGP spatial plan. This cross-sectionrepresents Primary Growth Areas in yellow and orange, and Limited GrowthAreas in green and brown. Settlement growth will be accommodated throughintensification of designated Built-Up Areas and through the extension ofdevelopment onto vacant land. Additional higher-density growth will befacilitated within key transit-supported Metropolitan Growth Centres andwithin developments along Metropolitan Corridors. Figure 8: Metropolitan Growth Plan: Growth Concept Urban Envelope Built-up Areas Built Boundary Croplands Expansion Areas Expansion Areas Rangelands Expansion Areas Natural Heritage System Metropolitan Corridors Metropolitan Corridors Natural Heritage System Natural Heritage System Metropolitan Growth Centres Greater Amman Municipal BoundaryWest EastFigure 9 further describes the types of development that can occur withinPrimary Growth Areas. Figure 9: Primary Growth Area Built Boundary Settlement Development Types Existing Settlement Area: Amman’s population lives primarily within the built-up areas of cities, towns, and villages located within the Greater Amman Municipal Boundary. Approximately 40 percent of land in Built-up Area Expansion the existing built-up area is vacant. Settlement Densification: A portion of the projected population growth to 2025 will be absorbed by increasing the permitted zoned density on individual plots within the existing built-up areas of Amman. This includes allowing additional floors and greater lot coverage. Settlement Intensification: A significant portion of the projected population growth to 2025 will be absorbed by developing vacant land within the existing built-up areas of Amman. Settlement Expansion: The largest portion of the projected population growth to 2025 will be absorbed by extending development beyond existing built-up areas of Amman into vacant land.Figure 7: Metropolitan Growth Plan: Definitions THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 35

Planning Areas For planning purposes, the Amman Plan proposes that the Metropolitan Planning Area be divided into eight Planning Areas (see Map 4). Five of these Planning Areas are within the Urban Envelope. The Planning Areas provide rational planning boundaries to conduct further detailed planning and to create Area Plans in the future. Planning Area boundaries were determined using a combination of the following criteria: • Development patterns – e.g., built, scattered, vacant • Geographic distribution • Physical boundaries – e.g., main roads, natural features • Location with respect to the Urban Envelope – i.e., inside or outside • Neighbourhood boundaries • Former administrative boundaries Map 4: Metropolitan Growth Plan: Planning Areas36 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

North West Central Inner EastSouth West Inner South Outer East Outer South THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 37

B.2 Metropolitan Growth Plan: Components The components of the MGP are presented in the following four sections: • Limited and No Growth Areas • Transportation and Transit • Primary Growth Areas • Metropolitan Services a) Limited and No Growth Areas Natural Heritage System (See Map 5.) Amman has few areas of natural cover remaining in the municipality and most of these features are located on lands with difficult terrain and poor shallow soil. In general, the quality of the City’s natural system is severely degraded and presents many opportunities for enhancement. Therefore, the MGP’s Natural Heritage System (NHS) protects environmentally sensitive areas – including key watersheds, wadis, wildlife areas, and forest areas – from development. The NHS incorporates the following features for their natural and community value, as well as to mitigate public hazards: • Forests: including both natural forest areas and plantations • Rehabilitated andor Restored Sites: including quarries, other extraction sites, wadis, and steep slopes • Major Wadis: including a 30 metre buffer surrounding the wadi • Significant Physical Features: including ridges and severe slopes Map 5: Metropolitan Growth Plan: Natural Heritage System38 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

ZARQASALT 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL KING OF BAHRAIN PARK MADABA AIRPORT LEGEND Natural Heritage System Roads Proposed Roads Railway THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 39

Mining and Quarries (See Map 6.) Amman was fundamentally a mining town, built out of the stone quarried from the surrounding hills of the original settlement. Amman’s architectural character is defined by this relationship between the built environment and the skilled transformation of the sources of its urban fabric. In keeping with Amman’s distinctive urban form, quarrying and, to a lesser extent, mineral extraction will continue within the Metropolitan Planning Area, ensuring that Amman continues to be built out of local resources using local craftsmanship. With respect to mining and quarries, the MGP will: • Protect the existing resource extraction land and employment base • Ensure sustainable practices for the extraction of mineral resources and quarrying • Strictly control the creation of new stone quarries within GAM • Rehabilitate old quarries especially for inclusion into the Open Space System • Protect quarries with cultural heritage value including Roman quarry sites Map 6: Metropolitan Growth Plan: Mining and Quarries40 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

ZARQASALT 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL KING OF BAHRAIN PARK MADABA AIRPORT LEGEND Quarry and Mineral Extraction Lease Areas Quarry and Mineral Extraction Areas Roads Proposed Roads Railway THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 41

Agriculture (See Map 7.) If properly supported through planning and policy, local agriculture offers great benefits to cities, including stronger economic connections between urban and agricultural communities due to shared markets and market volume (e.g., niche markets for value-added products such as organic goods), greater food security due to proximity of agricultural production, reduced energy expenditures and pollution related to lower product transportation requirements, and reduced greenhouse gases through carbon sequestration in the crop plants. For all of these reasons, the MGP Agricultural Plan focuses on supporting agricultural activities and communities as follows: • Protect and conserve valuable agricultural resources, especially high- quality rainfed agricultural land • Reduce agricultural water use and improve water quality for agriculture • Support and facilitate urban agriculture, increased water harvesting, and conservation • Ensure compatible uses in areas adjacent to agricultural land • Encourage high value-added economic and environmentally sustainable agricultural production such as organic farming Map 7: Metropolitan Growth Plan: Agriculture42 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

ZARQASALT 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL KING OF BAHRAIN PARK MADABA AIRPORT LEGEND Rangelands Croplands Roads Proposed Roads Railway THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 43

Cultural Heritage System (See Map 8.) Everyday , Amman residents encounter history within the City’s streets, buildings, cafes, topography, arcades, and other features. Amman’s history gives it a unique identity and a location on the global map. The MGP’s Cultural Heritage System (CHS) lays the foundation for the protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of Amman’s wide range of cultural heritage features. The first of its kind for Amman, the CHS integrates the modern and the ancient within an overall heritage framework. The MGP will: • Recognize historic and heritage town centres, corridors, areas, viewsheds, and antiquity sites at the metropolitan scale • Identify major cultural heritage features and integrate them into the settlement structure • Promote the City’s cultural heritage • Support tourism development within Amman Map 8: Metropolitan Growth Plan: Cultural Heritage System44 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

To Su erash To J k hnehAsSalt Sweileh Am Yabouq Trail m an -S alt Ro Ain Ghazal ! ad ! Qasr Al Nuwejj Wadi Seer Citadel ! !! Rainbow Street ! !! eer Ro ad Zahran Street Madina S adi n -W ma Am ! Quweismeh Tomb ! Iraq Al Amir Palace Amman - Ahl - Kahf (Seven Sleepers Road) ! Cave of the Seven Sleepers Na’our To Azr a q ! ilway ge Trail Tell Husban - Esbus Hejaz Ra Pilgrima y wa igh ing ’s H ! Tra il /K Al Qastal Ruins ! man Qasr Al Mushatta Ro Madaba LEGEND Metropolitan Amman Boundary Core Cultural Heritage Centers Major Heritage Landscapes Major Antiquities THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 45

b) Transportation and Transit Transportation Introduction The MGP identifies the major roadway, transit, and pedestrian infrastructure and services that the City will require by 2025. This infrastructure will provide adequate mobility and support the overall development pattern identified in the MGP. The policies presented below will guide development of the City’s transportation programs and provide a basis for transportation infrastructure investment. This public investment will reflect a rebalancing of priorities toward higher-quality, higher-capacity, and more effective transit service and far safer, better-connected, and more attractive facilities for people who walk. Transportation Policy MGP transportation policy emphasizes the integration of land use, transportation, and infrastructure investment to encourage compact, integrated urban development and a transition from automobile travel to public transit use and pedestrian movement. The MGP promotes the integration of land use and transportation by identifying growth centres and corridors with a mix of residential and employment land uses structured around new and upgraded transit facilities and services. This integration will be supported in Area Plans and Community Plans by a pedestrian network combined with an appropriate supply of public vehicular parking. Transportation Hierarchy The MGP’s transportation and transit planning provides a hierarchy of roadway, transit, and pedestrian networks, each with its own function within a larger integrated network. The hierarchy defines the function, scale, design features, and operational characteristics of each element of the network. Road Plan The MGP identifies a hierarchical plan of roads in GAM, which designates the location, connectedness, physical, and operational characteristics of each type of roadway. The road hierarchy elements and network designated in the MGP includes: Motorway, Rural Highway, Urban Expressway, and Major Arterial Road (see Map 9). Lower-order elements of the road hierarchy (Arterial, Collector, and Local) will be designated in Area Plans, Community Plans, and Corridor Plans. Future major investment in roadway junction improvements (bridges and tunnels) will be focused on urban expressways to achieve free flow conditions and on major arterial roads to resolve specific capacity constraints at junctions where necessary. Future traffic flow on arterial roads will be interrupted by traffic control signals at regularly spaced intersections to allow for safe and efficient turning movements, side-street cross traffic, and pedestrian crossing movements. Map 9: Metropolitan Growth Plan:Transportation46 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

r ash To JeTo As Sa a lt Z arq To Inn er Rin g 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL Un der Stu dy a Se ad DeTo KING OF BAHRAIN PARK C AD To Iraq Air por tR oad a ab Mad To AIRPORT To Aq aba LEGEND (Proposed) Metropolitan Amman Boundary Motorway Rural Highway Urban Expressway Major Arterial Major Arterial (Tunnel) Existing Railway Proposd Railway THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 47

Transit The MGP seeks to substantially enhance transit service in Amman with the goal of greatly increasing transit ridership and attracting a broad cross- section of citizens. Transit planning emphasizes the creation of transit routes with high-quality, reliable, predictable, comfortable, and efficient services. The MGP facilitates the development of a safe and modern transit system with an interconnected and coordinated route structure and an integrated fare system. The Transit System will be composed the following service levels: High-Order Transit Service: Metro Transit, Light Rail Transit, and Bus Rapid Transit High-order transit service will be provided within corridors with transit- supportive medium- and high-density mixed-use development. Potential High-Order Transit Corridors are indicated on Map 10. Major Bus Transit: Qualified Modern Buses Major bus service will be provided within designated corridors that have suitable transit-supportive high-density and mixed-use development in place. These designated corridors will expedite the efficient movement of buses using exclusive transit lanes, queue jump lanes, and traffic signal priority for buses. Regular Bus Service: Qualified Buses Regular bus service will be provided on conventional routes in mixed traffic. Routes will include designated stop locations and passenger shelters. Service Taxis Service taxis will operate within designated zones to provide complementary service (short distance local trips and connections) that feeds regular and major bus services. Pedestrian Amman is a walking city. The City is lucky to have a climate and topography ideal for walking. Also, Amman traditionally valued walking, as evidenced by the prominent role of stairs and historic promenades in its built form. Today, however, the City’s pedestrian systems are in decline and pedestrians are forced to use unattractive, unsafe, and inefficient infrastructure. Transit riders are pedestrians before and after each trip and, consequently, the transit system’s success in attracting new riders is dependent on the quality of the pedestrian systems that feed it. New pedestrian systems should be street based with wider and better-designed sidewalk pavements for movement within and between communities. Pedestrian systems should be specifically oriented to provide access to transit services. Map 10: Metropolitan Growth Plan: Potential Higher-Order Transit Corridors48 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

rash To Je To AsS a alt Zarq To to Zarqa Transit Inn er Rin g 8th CIRCLE Un der LANDFILL Stu dy a Se ad De KING OF To BAHRAIN PARK C AD To Iraq Air por tR oad ba da Ma To AIRPORT To Aq abadoror LEGEND Metropolitan Amman Boundary Potential High-Order Transit Corridor Existing Railway Proposed Railway Primary High-Order Transit Corridor THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 49

c) Primary Growth Areas Settlement Areas The MGP projects an increase in GAM’s population from the current estimate of 2,200,000 to over 6,500,000 by 2025. This increase will require up to 1,300,000 million new housing units. The MGP provides a settlement growth framework that will contain the majority of urban growth and development within an Urban Envelope (see Glossary), while providing for small amounts of growth beyond this boundary. Approximately 85 percent of new housing units will be located within the Urban Envelope, while the remaining 15 percent will be situated in Primary Growth Areas outside of the Urban Envelope and, in limited quantities, in Agricultural Areas. The MGP provides for the spatial distribution of settlement development as described in Section B.1 and as illustrated on Map 3. The planned distribution of population and housing unit density for each Planning Area is described below in Section B.3. The following land uses are included within Primary Growth Areas: Settlement Built-Up Areas The MGP facilitates growth within existing built-up areas through both intensification and densification (see Map 11 and Figure 9). Up to 40 percent of land within Amman’s built-up areas is vacant, allowing for a large degree of intensification. In addition, certain parts of Amman, such as Abdali, have already been approved for redevelopment as areas of densification. 45 percent of new housing units within the Urban Envelope will be accommodated within the Built-Up Area. Settlement Expansion Areas The Amman Development Corridor provides a clear and appropriate urban edge - called the Urban Envelope in the MGP - that will serve to contain most of Amman’s projected growth (see Figure 8). Settlement Expansion Areas are primarily located within this Urban Envelope, but are also found in designated Primary Growth Areas outside of it – see Map 11. Future growth outside of the Urban Envelope is anticipated to add up to 700,000 additional residents – especially within the Metropolitan Growth Centre planned in Al Jeeza, adjacent to the airport. Outside of the Urban Envelope and outside of designated Settlement Built-Up and Expansion Areas, only low-density agriculture-related housing development, within the current zoning ‘as-of- right’, is planned and allowed. 55 percent of new housing units within the Urban Envelope will be located in Settlement Expansion Areas. In addition to the physical growth of settlements, housing provision and affordability is a crucial component of the overall development of the City. Map 11: Metropolitan Growth Plan: Settlement Areas50 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

ZARQASALT 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL KING OF BAHRAIN PARK MADABA AIRPORT LEGEND Built Up Areas Expansion Areas Roads Proposed Roads Railway THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 51

Affordable Housing Affordable housing has become a critical issue in Amman due to the inflation in land, construction, and energy prices and to the planned removal of rent controls by 2010. The high demand for affordable housing is further complicated by 30,000 new families entering the housing market each year. With an average Ammani household earning an income of JD576 per month, many households spend beyond their means for new housing. Although not directly responsible for ‘housing’, GAM can support the provision of affordable housing through the MGP by: • Assessing its municipal land bank and making available, in partnership with Central Government and the private sector, surplus lands that are suitable for affordable housing. • Providing ‘bonus-zoning’ for developers committed to building affordable housing. • Introducing flexible zoning to facilitate density increases and alternative development types in low-income areas, including height increases, assuming that buildings have structural integrity and infrastructure services in the area can manage the additional density. • Cooperating with the private sector, professional associations, and Central Government to undertake research into creative housing typologies and alternative construction and insulation techniques that reduce the cost of housing. Metropolitan Corridors and Growth Centres Policy Metropolitan Corridors include Airport Road, the Sahab Al-Mouwaqer Corridor, and the proposed Amman Development Corridor (currently under construction). Linked together (see Map 12), these corridors will provide Ammanis with safe, easy access to all parts of the City, and: • Serve as primary traffic and transit corridors • Offer mixed-use development options • Incorporate ‘green’ features • Serve as economic conduits for the transport of goods In turn, the Metropolitan Corridors will anchor a series of new Metropolitan Growth Centres at their intersections (see Map 12). These centres will serve to define major gateways to and from Amman and: • Provide access to major recreation facilities and metropolitan parks • Integrate high-order public transit • Combine a wide variety of high-density residential, institutional, and commercial land uses within a vibrant public framework consisting of parks, gardens, pedestrian promenades, squares and open space. Map 12: Metropolitan Corridors and Metropolitan Growth Centres52 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

ZARQASALT 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL KING OF BAHRAIN PARK MADABA AIRPORT LEGEND Metropolitan Corridor Metropolitan Growth Centres Roads Proposed Roads Railway THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 53

Employment Areas (See Map 13.) Employment planning has to be responsive to the changing economic and physical requirements of investors, workers, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Employment Areas need to be integrated with transit and transportation systems, other types of land uses and existing infrastructure. Employment planning must be in line with the National Agenda of diversifying the existing employment base by supporting value- added manufacturing and service sector jobs, particularly in the knowledge sectors. In order to meet current employment requirements while accommodating for future demand from new production processes and services, Amman’s Employment Areas will meet the following key objectives: • Accommodate 1,800,000 jobs across GAM within a flexible planning framework • Support a range of employment uses within the City by providing sufficient zoned land to accommodate industrial, commercial, R&D and institutional land requirements • Cluster employment uses to enhance competitiveness and reduce infrastructure costs • Improve opportunities and access to jobs for disadvantaged communities • Encourage the development of Prestige-oriented employment uses that diversify and stabilize the City’s economic base • Provide space for new and expanding high-tech industries with low environmental impact • Support urban development that is attractive to value-added industry and employees by reducing commuting times and offering reliable transportation options Map 13: Metropolitan Growth Plan: Employment Areas54 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

ZARQASALT 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL KING OF BAHRAIN PARK MADABA AIRPORT LEGEND Built Employment Expansion Employment Roads Proposed Roads Railway THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 55

Open Space System Open space is generally defined as publicly and/or privately owned land that is not intensively developed for residential, commercial, industrial, or institutional use. It can include agricultural and forest land, undeveloped scenic lands, public parks, and preserves. The MGP Open Space System (OSS) includes open space areas of the following types within the Urban Envelope (see Map 14): • Natural Heritage System • Urban Tree Canopy • Cultural Heritage Sites and Corridors • Existing and Proposed Parks • Linear Connections among the open space sites • Urban Agriculture Sites1 in undeveloped areas and Orchards in existing developed areas The OSS also includes all open space areas between the Urban Envelope and the Greater Amman Municipal Boundary. These OSS components located outside of the Urban Envelope are similar to those within the Urban Envelope, but also include agricultural land (e.g., Rangeland, Cropland). The establishment of parks in areas outside of the Urban Envelope will be based on the protection of natural and cultural resources and other proposed recreational facilities. The OSS will allow GAM to continue: • Providing a visual and scenic contrast to the built environment and defines developable parts of the City • Providing land for recreational, cultural, and community celebrations and gatherings • Supporting the conservation of natural or semi-natural habitats and sites of scenic, cultural, or heritage interest • Improving health and general quality of life Map 14: Metropolitan Growth Plan: Open Space System56 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

ZARQASALT 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL KING OF BAHRAIN PARK MADABA AIRPORT LEGEND Open Space System Roads Proposed Roads Railway THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 57

d) Metropolitan Services The MGP will provide the policy framework that will guide current and future service network standards, upgrading, and extensions (detailed studies are ongoing). GAM is responsible for stormwater drainage, roads, and solid waste, while the public utilities manage water, wastewater, electricity, and telecommunications. The MGP Phasing Plan will guide the capital improvement priorities for all of these service providers. Key MGP Water Supply and Wastewater Policies • Upgrade and extend water and wastewater services through a Capital Improvement Program structured around the phasing of the MGP • Fully implement a developer-funded financial framework for the provision of water and wastewater services (development charges and agreements) • Upgrade and improve the efficiency of the existing water distribution system to reduce water loss • Manage and limit access to groundwater resources • Protect natural water supplies (groundwater and surface water) from wastewater contamination • Encourage efficient and cost-effective agricultural and industrial use of water • Expand and upgrade the water and wastewater networks in a cost- effective and efficient manner • Encourage cooperative planning and partnerships between GAM, public utilities, and stakeholders in the stewardship and conservation of water and the disposal or reuse of wastewater Key MGP Stormwater Management Policies • Treat stormwater as a resource to be protected, managed, and utilized while recognizing its importance as a part of the ecosystem and the hydrologic cycle • Include stormwater drainage provisions, with full consideration of flood protection and storm water utilization for irrigation, as a standard component of the review and approval for all development • Provide stormwater facilities through a Capital Improvement Program structured around the phasing of the MGP and implemented through a developer-funded framework • Retain and create tree cover or natural vegetation along wadis and natural areas to facilitate ground infiltration of stormwater – e.g., integrate stormwater management with the Open Space System58 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Key MGP Electricity, Other Energy, andTelecommunication Policies• Provide electrical and telecommunications facilities through a Capital Improvement Program structured around the phasing of the MGP and implemented through a developer-funded framework• Encourage collaboration between GAM, public utilities, and stakeholders in the efficient use of electricity, reduced reliance on carbon-based fuels, the encouragement of alternative energy sources, and the promotion of ‘green’ building practices• Reduce automobile dependence through compact development patterns and mixed-use developmentMGP Solid Waste Management Policies• Manage waste in a manner that will conserve natural resources and protect the environment and public health – e.g., decreasing litter and dumping• Manage solid waste disposal in an integrated waste management system to minimize land filling by reducing solid waste volume and by maximizing recycling and source-separated organic waste management• Incentivize waste diversion within City waste management programs and provide public education about waste reduction and diversion• Promote the reduction, reuse, and recycling of waste in all households, businesses, and municipal operations• Provide solid waste management services and facilities according to the phasing of the MGP with implementation through a developer-funded framework• Provide various specialized waste management services – e.g., hazardous waste and medical waste THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 59

B.3 Growth Models and Development Densities Metropolitan Settlement Structure: Growth Modeling As described in preceding sections of the MGP, Amman’s growth to 2025 will be absorbed through a combination of: • Intensification, • Densification, and • Expansion Most of this growth will occur within a defined Urban Envelope, but some will occur within other designated growth areas outside of this boundary. To project Planning Area population growth and density increase to 2025 and beyond, 20 sample neighbourhoods (see Map 15) were analyzed. Map 15: Sample Neighborhoods60 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

ZARQASALT 14. AL HAI AL SHARKI 6. AL MEDINAH 12. ABU ALIA AL TIBIEH 3. AL SALHEEN 18. MARKA 4. UM UTHAINA 5. SHMESANI10. AL GHROOS 8th CIRCLE 1. JABAL AMMAN 15. AL MANARA LANDFILL 7. AL ROWNAK 2. ABDOON 8. AL QUWAYSMEH 16. HETIEN 9. MARJ AL HAMAM 11. SAHAB KING OF BAHRAIN 17. WEST NAOUR PARK 13. AL MOUWAQER MADABA AIRPORT 19. AL JEEZA THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 61

Each sample neighbourhood’s growth was modeled (see Figure 10 for the Abu Alia example) and used as precedent to project growth within Amman’s 228 neighbourhoods. These results were combined with the planned densities defined in the Amman Plan for Tall Buildings and the Corridor Intensification Strategy to extend modeled growth to the entire Metropolitan Planning Area (see Maps 16 and 17). These calculations resulted in the target densities and populations for each Planning Area (see Figure 11), presented in the MGP.Figure 10: Neighbourhood Case Study: Abu Alia Existing ProposedNet Units per Dunum 1.1 2.6Percent Vacant Land 32.0% 4.8%Population 1,107 2,793 North West Central Inner East South West Inner South Outer EastFigure 11:Population Distribution: 2025 and BeyondPlanning Area Density Target* PopulationA Central 6.4 1,260,000B North 3.4 700,000C West 3.7 1,080,000D Inner South 4.2 1,550,000E Inner East 3.3 1,200,000 Outer SouthF Outer East 0.125 260,000G Outer South 2.8 710,000H Southwest 1.2 170,000 Total** 6,930,000* Dwelling Units per Net Dunum** Greater than projected population of 6.5 million to ensure a competitive land market62 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Legend Rural Agriculture 0.1 to 0.9 net upd 1.0 to 1.9 2.0 to 2.9 3.1 to 3.9 4.0 to 4.9 5.0 to 6.6 7.0 to 7.9 8.0 to 8.9 Map 16: Neighbourhood Housing Densities 9.0 to 10.3 Existing (Dwelling Units / Dunum)Legend Rural Agriculture 0.1 to 0.9 net upd 1.0 to 1.9 2.0 to 2.9 3.1 to 3.9 4.0 to 4.9 5.0 to 6.6 7.0 to 7.9 8.0 to 8.9 Map 17: Neighbourhood Housing Densities 9.0 to 10.3 Planned for 2025 and Beyond (Dwelling Units / Dunum) THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 63

C64 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

MetropolitanGrowth PlanImplementationC.1 Implementation Approach and Tools 66C.2 Phasing Plan 70C.3 Financing Infrastructure and Services 76C.4 Institutional and Regulatory Framework 77 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 65

C.1 Implementation Approach and Tools Approach to Implementation and Growth Management The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) will use its regulatory authority to control the timing and sequence of development to achieve broad public goals as reflected in the Metropolitan Growth Plan (MGP). GAM will manage growth though the phased upgrading and extension of infrastructure and services, and through zoning limits on development potential. Key Growth Management policies will include: • Developer financing of infrastructure and services through development charges • MGP Phasing that determines GAM and public utility Capital Improvement Programs • Location and timing of growth determined by the phased extension of services • Increase in development potential through ‘up-zoning’ occuring in Primary Growth Areas only – ‘as-of right’ zoning limits will continue in Limited or No-growth Areas. Growth and Urban Services GAM will manage growth by establishing a direct relationship between the timing and location of new, expanded, and upgraded urban service provisions and new urban development. The location and capacity of urban services will determine those areas where development is permitted and encouraged. GAM will control the location and timing of urban growth through the planned extensions of infrastructure and urban services as determined by the MGP Phasing Plan (Section C.2). Capital Improvement Programs of both GAM and public utilities will define the phased extension of services to designated near-term priority growth areas. Growth and Service Capacity Areas with existing service networks requiring capacity upgrades should receive intensification development before the partially-served or unserved areas beyond the Urban Envelope. New development on Expansion Areas adjacent to Built-Up Areas will promote a compact and efficient urban form with high densities and mixed-use predominating. The upgrading of infrastructure and service network capacities must precede this development so that there is no reduction in service quality to existing development.66 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Implementation ToolsManaging the implementation of the MGP will involve the following tools:MGP Phasing PlanThe phasing plan for the MGP has divided the 18-year implementationperiod (2008 thru 2025) into three phases – Near-, Medium-, and Long-Term– of six years each. In general, development should correspond with thisphasing. Any development in advance of this phasing will require developerfinancing of public service extensions.Capital Improvement Programs and Service ExtensionsCapital Improvement Programs of both GAM and the public utilities willsupport the MGP. The priorities for infrastructure and service extensions andupgrades will be a direct reflection of the MGP Phasing Plan.Service Areas and Service StandardsThe Metropolitan Planning Area will be divided into service areas that relatecontext and density (e.g., urban growth, rural growth, limited growth) toservice standards (e.g., central services, local services, plot-based services).Based on detailed engineering analysis, a precise definition of service areasand of service standards will be established for each type of urban service(e.g., water, sanitation, electricity).Development Charges and IncentivesDevelopment charges will place the expense of providing service andinfrastructure upgrades and extensions on the development which createsthese requirements. These charges will provide incentives to support thegrowth pattern and phasing of the MGP.Development AgreementsFor major development projects, GAM and the developer will negotiate adevelopment agreement that includes the requirements, obligations, andresponsibilities of all parties.Lower-Order Plans: Areas Plans and Community PlansGAM will continue with an ongoing program of planning under theframework provided by the MGP to provide more detailed planning andmore specific implementation plans.Implementation PolicyCosts of Infrastructure and ServicingProject developers will pay for a proportional share of the off-siteinfrastructure and service network capacity required for their projects. Thispolicy applies regardless of whether the networks exist in full, need to beupgraded, or must be designed and implemented completely. Developersmust pay for existing off-site capacity as well as required new capacity.Developers will also pay all on-site servicing costs. THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 67

Service Main Extension Policy GAM and the Public Utilities The extension of service mains into unserved or partially-served areas must be consistent with MGP Phasing. The capacity of any proposed main extension must support the full projected demands of the area being served, as projected in the MGP, rather than the demands of a single development proposal only. Development in Advance of MGP Phasing Developers are allowed to extend service mains into planned growth areas ahead of the MGP Phasing and Capital Improvement Programs. However, the developer must finance the building of the required service network capacity. This will usually require the construction of service capacity that is greater than that required for the project in question, given the need for capacity to service surrounding future development. The developer will be entitled to reimbursement for the cost of the excess capacity when it is utilized by other projects.68 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

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C.2 Phasing Plan Phase 1: Near-Term (2008 – 2013) Areas to be developed in Phase 1 reflect the near-term priority of consolidating development in and around existing built-up areas of Amman to maximize the use of existing infrastructure and services and to minimize urban sprawl. Phase 1 development areas are listed below and illustrated on Map 18. Intensification and densification of Built-up Areas within the Urban Envelope • Localized service upgrades to Built-up Areas outside the Urban Envelope • Development of large areas of vacant land (expansion) within the Built- Up Area inside the Urban Envelope, including ‘High-Density, Mixed- Use’ (HDMU) Areas A, B, and C • Abdali Development • Metropolitan Growth Centre at the Arafat Airport Road Intersection south and west of HDMU Area C The Phase 1 Capital Improvement Program should emphasize existing service capacity upgrades, limited service extensions into designated Expansion Areas, and the planned road and transit linkages within Built-Up and Expansion Areas. MGP Phasing Note: The phasing plans presented reflect the emphasis on controlling growth through phased service extensions and developer financing of the costs of growth. This phasing will guide the Capital Improvement Programs of both GAM and the public utilities. Developers are allowed to design and implement projects in Primary Growth Areas in advance of the Phasing Plan. However, these developments will be subject to the conditions of the implementation policy. Map 18: Phase 1: Near-Term 2008-201370 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

ZARQASALT 8th CIRCLE LANDFILL KING OF BAHRAIN PARK MADABA AIRPORT PHASE 1 : 2008 - 2013 PHASE 1 : 2008 - 2013 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 71

Phase 2: Medium-Term (2014 – 2019) Areas to be developed in Phase 2 shift the development emphasis onto Expansion Areas within the Urban Envelope and Expansion Areas along the Sahab - Al Mouwaqer Corridor. This allows for the efficient extension of urban service networks and the maintenance of a compact and efficient urban form. Phase 2 development areas are listed below and illustrated on Map 19. • Expansion Areas within the Urban Envelope • Airport Corridor Communities: South Park, Al Yadouda, and Metro Gateway • Industrial areas along Sahab - Al Mouwaqer Corridor The Phase 2 Capital Improvement Program should emphasize service mainline extensions with road and transit linkages into designated Expansion Areas and ongoing capacity upgrades. Map 19: Phase 2: Medium-Term 2014-201972 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Phase 3: Long-Term (2020 – 2025) Areas to be developed in Phase 3 emphasize the completion of expansion within the Urban Envelope, the continuing development of Metropolitan Growth Centres, and the development of Expansion Areas outside the Urban Envelope. Phase 3 development areas are listed below and illustrated on Map 20. • Continuing Settlement Expansion within the Urban Envelope • Continuing Airport Corridor Communities: South Park, Al Yadouda, and Metro Gateway • Metropolitan Growth Centre: Al Jeeza • Settlement Areas: Al Bahath, Na’our, Um Rumana – Jalluwl, Al Kutayfa • Employment Areas: Al Jeeza, Al Qastal The Phase 3 Capital Improvement Program will emphasize service extensions with road and transit linkages into designated Settlement Areas and Industrial Areas outside of the Urban Envelope. Map 20: Phase 3: Long-Term 2020-202574 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

C.3 Financing Infrastructure and Services General Development Charge Policy GAM Development Charge Policy requires project developers to pay a proportional share of the infrastructure and urban service capacity that is required for their projects. The cost of infrastructure and service upgrades and extensions will be recovered from the users of those services in proportion to the demand that each user or project places on the service networks. This applies to all projects and includes required bulk services, service main extensions, and associated upgrades. This policy applies regardless of whether the infrastructure and service networks exist in full, need to be upgraded, or must be designed and implemented completely. Developers must pay for existing capacity as well as any new capacity required for their projects and all local networks within projects. Development charges will include the following: Capital Development Levy A one-time payment, charged and collected by GAM, but reflecting the components and cost-recovery policies of GAM and the public utility agencies – Roads and Transportation, Stormwater Drainage, Water and Wastewater (Sanitation) Service, Electrical Service, and Telecommunications Service. This fee also includes requirements for open space heritage preservation and other community improvement projects. Purchase of Development Rights The owners of property designated for development limits greater than the current ‘as-of-right’ limits will realize a windfall benefit in land value resulting from an act of public policy. A portion of this benefit will be claimed by GAM and used to pay for community improvement projects. In order to develop a site, a landowner or developer will be required to purchase the ‘development right’ from GAM. The purchase price or fee for this ‘development right’ will be a portion of the land-value inflation attributable to the increased development potential of the site.76 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

C.4 Institutional and Regulatory FrameworkZoning RegulationAs part of the MGP planning framework, the current Amman Zoning andBuilding Regulation is being extensively revised to implement the vision andgoals of the Amman Plan. A new Zoning Regulation will provide consistency,flexibility, efficiency, predictability, and a capacity for innovation. It willoffer an increased number of zoning districts with specific purposes, detaileddefinitions and rules for a wider range of uses, and more opportunities fordevelopment. The new Zoning Regulation will make development decisionsmore predictable. The Zoning Regulation will differentiate between redevelopment andnew development. It will help preserve and support existing mixed-useand retail streets and will encourage new mixed-use districts, corridors,and communities. It will contain new planning tools to support the social,environmental, and economic objectives of the Amman Plan: support fortransit, pedestrian development, higher density and mixed-use development,protection of open space, solid waste management, and accessibility forpeople with disabilities.Institutional FrameworkThe proposed governmental structure for planning within GAM will havefour levels:• City Council: The City Council will be responsible for all metropolitan- wide planning decisions, including all zoning regulations.• Amman Planning Board: An advisory board chaired and appointed by the Mayor, the Amman Planning Board will consist of fifteen members. Seven of these members will be City Councillors; the remaining members will be selected from the community-at-large. The purpose of the Planning Board is to advise City Council on all metropolitan planning matters.• Planning Area Committees: The eight Planning Areas will each have a committee to guide the preparation and amendment of the detailed Area Plans and associated zoning regulations. The Planning Area Committees will be appointed by the Mayor and have a nine members, including four elected representatives. continued . . . THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 77

• District Committees: Established for each of the GAM Districts, these committees will be appointed by the Mayor and consist of five members, including the elected representative from the area. The District Committees will be responsible for the review of minor variances from the zoning regulations. • Special Purpose Planning Committees: The Mayor may appoint Special Purpose Planning Committees for strategic projects and areas related to Cultural and Natural Heritage Conservation, Urban Regeneration, etc.78 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 79

Glossary Greater Amman Municipal Boundary: as defined by law of Municipal Code No. 6 (14), 2007 and ammendments. Determines the Planning Area for application of the Metropolitan Growth Plan. Metropolitan Planning Area: consists of all lands within the Greater Amman Municipal Boundary. Growth Terms Primary Growth Areas: comprise Settlement and Employment Areas designated within the Metropolitan Growth Plan less land designated as Limited and/or No Growth Areas. Primary Growth Areas consist primarily of vacant land for future urban uses including residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial. Limited Growth Areas: comprise Croplands, Rangelands, Urban Agricultural Lands, and Quarries and Mineral Extraction Areas and Lease Areas designated within the Metropolitan Growth Plan where limited development will be permitted in association with a primary use. No Growth Areas: comprise lands designated as Natural Heritage System and/ or Cultural Heritage System where future development will be tightly controlled and/or restricted. These areas include parklands, cultural heritage sites, and significant landscapes. Urban Envelope: an overlay designation encompassing all lands located within a development boundary defined by the proposed route of the Amman Development Corridor. Built Boundary: delineates Settlement Built-Up Areas; defines an edge to built, developed, or otherwise utilized Settlement Areas Land Use Terms Settlement Areas: comprising Cities (e.g., Amman), Towns (e.g., Al Jeezah), and Villages (e.g., Jalluwl) located within the Metropolitan Planning Area. Lesser residential areas not identified as Settlement Areas include Tjamoats and Mashroa Eskane. Settlement Areas at the metropolitan scale include: Built-Up Areas: comprise lands that have already been built on, as well as contiguous vacant lands located within the Built Boundary Expansion Areas: comprise vacant, undeveloped or under-utilized land, lying outside the Built Boundary but within the Settlement Area. Metropolitan Growth Centres: an overlay designation that defines significant clusters of highest-density, mixed-use development, typically located at significant intersections and/or gateways to and from Amman. These centres will also serve as metropolitan transit hubs.80 THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH

Metropolitan Corridors: an overlay designation that defines the highest order of mixed-use, transportation, and transit corridors.Employment Areas: comprise lands used for industrial and/or commercial purposes. These areas serve as major employment centres within the City. Employment Areas at the metropolitan scale include: Employment Built-Up Areas: comprise lands that have already been built- up or developed within Employment Areas. Employment Expansion Areas: comprise vacant, undeveloped, or under- utilized land within Employment Areas.Natural Heritage System (NHS): a connected system of natural areas that accommodates native flora, fauna, and related geological features and landforms. The NHS may include natural core areas (e.g., forests, wildlife habitat), natural corridors (e.g., wadis), and natural connecting links (e.g., tree line) that connect natural core areas and corridors.Cultural Heritage System (CHS): a connected network of social and cultural elements that define Amman’s modern and ancient identity. The CHS can include immoveable features (e.g. town centres and antiquity sites), moveable features (e.g., artefacts that can be easily transported), and intangible heritage (e.g., traditional belief systems and cultural elements).Agricultural Areas: lands currently used for agriculture and farm-related uses, including the raising of animals and the growing of plants for food production. These areas also include lands used for the secondary manufacturing of agriculture and farm products.Quarries and Mineral Extraction Areas: lands used for the extraction and processing of aggregates and/or minerals.Open Space System (OSS): a linked network of open spaces that can include parks, open space properties, recreation facilities, and greenway and trail corridors.Development TermsIntensification: the development of vacant land located within Built-Up Areas.Densification: the redevelopment of existing built-up areas located within designated Built-Up Areas to accommodate higher-density uses.Expansion: the development of vacant or otherwise undeveloped or under- developed lands located within Settlement and Employment Areas outside the Built Boundary. THE AMMAN PLAN METROPOLITAN GROWTH 81

Metropolitan Growth Summary Report | Amman Institute

by Amman Institute on Jan 29, 2011

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Metropolitan Growth Summary Report | Amman Institute Document Transcript