The development of Georgia's coastal strip is not governed by a separate "coastal zone" statute — no such standalone law exists in the Georgian legal system. Coastal territories are planned and developed through the general system established by the Spatial Planning, Architectural and Construction Code: state and municipal plans, functional zoning, and the institution of specially regulated territories. For concepts tied to the sea and territorial waters, the Code refers to a separate law — the Law of Georgia on Maritime Space — whose content this page does not examine as its foundation.
Guiding principles of planning
Spatial planning and urban-planning rest on sustainable development principles that harmonize the economic and social preconditions for the use and development of the relevant territory with risk reduction and environmental requirements. Among the principles are creating dignified living conditions for people, developing a polycentric structure of settlements, preserving protected and recreational territories, protecting natural and cultural landscapes, and reducing the negative impact of infrastructure on the environment.
For coastal development, the maritime planning principle is especially significant: when planning the spatial organization of Georgia's territorial sea and exclusive economic zone, the possibility of scientific research, the safety and efficiency of navigable routes, and the sustainable use of the corresponding natural resources must be ensured. This requirement bears directly on how areas connected to ports, navigation routes and resort resources are to be planned. Taking the guiding principles into account is mandatory for the administrative organ holding planning competence.