Bureau of Experts at the Council

The division, planning, or development of lands and their various uses inside or outside the urban development stages and the development protection zones may not be carried out by any agency without the prior approval of the plans by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs. 3.5 Government agencies must coordinate with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to complete the following: a) Identify the lands at the disposal of any agency pursuant to high orders or applicable laws in order to issue allocation decisions for the beneficiary agency. b) Identify the lands on which government facilities exist in order to issue allocation decisions for such lands and transfer the ownership thereof to the State for the benefit of the beneficiary agency in accordance with applicable laws. c) Identify the lands with concession rights for government institutions or agencies in order to issue allocation decisions therefor. d) Determine the routes of road networks, railway lines, water pipelines, oil pipelines, high- voltage power lines, and the like for approval thereof. Rules for Defining Urban Boundaries until the Year 1450H 3.6 National and regional service projects, temporary uses, and activities of a specific nature may be carried out inside the urban development stages or the development protection zone without being restricted by the timelines. 3.7 If no suitable lands are available inside the urban development stages or the development protection zone, national and regional service projects, temporary uses, and activities of a specific nature may be carried out outside the development protection zone pursuant to a decision by the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs in accordance with the controls and procedures specified in the Implementing Regulations. 3.8 Large areas of land located inside the development protection zone may be divided into smaller parcels of not less than one million square meters (1,000,000 m²), except for lands allocated in accordance with paragraph (3.6) of these Rules; such lands may be divided into smaller parcels, as needed, pursuant to a decision by the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs in accordance with the controls and procedures specified in the Implementing Regulations. 3.9 If the need arises to modify the urban growth boundaries of any city or village before the year 1450H, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs shall prepare a comprehensive study in this regard; such study shall be approved by the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs. 3.10 The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs shall, before the year 1435H, review and assess the controls of the urban development stages, divide the urban development stage between the years 1435H and 1450H into three stages, and set the appropriate controls for each stage. The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs shall be authorized to approve the same. 3.11 The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs shall set the boundaries and controls for the development of urban communities that do not have a defined urban boundary, and such boundaries and controls shall be approved pursuant to a decision by the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs. 3.12 No land located outside the development protection zone may be developed or planned except as provided for in these Rules or pursuant to an exemption granted by the Council of Ministers. 3.13 The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs shall prepare detailed maps indicating the coordinates of the urban boundaries of cities, transportation networks, approved plans, and government lands designated for national and regional service projects; such maps shall be approved by the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and issued with the Implementing Regulations.