The Municipal Spatial Planning Support Programme (MuSPP) in cooperation with the Municipality of Ferizaj/Urosevac, organized a workshop with citizens living within flood prone areas in urban and rural areas of Ferizaj/Urosevac, held on February 12 2010. The main purpose of the workshop was to collect ideas and opinions from community, and find pragmatic solutions and the future actions in this regard. 

In her opening speech, the Municipal Director of Urbanism Qazime Vata pointed out that this workshop will contribute to the preparation of a strategy for flood mitigation. She evaluated the work previously done, mentioning the results of the survey and crucial findings from the hydrologic engineering study. She also added that this is the beginning of improvements to this part of the city, and a good opportunity for the community to become involved in the process. The workshop continued with presentations by the Municipality and UN-HABITAT staff.

The aim of the capital investment project is to improve the area by using design mechanisms to mitigate flooding, ensuring that public space is well linked with surrounding open spaces. The project aims to improve the visual and environmental quality of the area by removing waste, as well as continuous maintenance of the zone.

The workshop continued with group work, where the first recommendations were to provide a shared zone for cars and pedestrians on the eastern side of the river. Based on the recommendations derived from technical flooding advice, the riverbed requires widening to accommodate the velocity and quantity of water during flood seasons. Additional works include removing waste from the river banks and riverbed, improving the sewage system, analyzing the appropriate locations for power lines and generator, and narrowing of the road on the eastern side of the river to accommodate flood mitigation techniques.

The flood reduction project for the Nerodime River is a joint project of the Municipal Spatial Planning Support Programme and Municipal Assembly of Ferizaj/Urosevac, and it will be co-funded by both parties.