Turkey has a rapid urbanization and expansion, especially since 1950s. Today, 93.4 percent of the population live in urban areas (TurkSTAT 2022). This is a threat for the country because disasters that cause great damage to human life, building stock and urban infrastructure affect urban areas more negatively. Consequences of earthquake disasters have been experienced before because most of the country consists of earthquake-prone regions defined as high risk. That is why, the issue of reducing earthquake risks in spatial planning processes is of great importance for the country. Disaster mitigation strategies, policies, actions in planning decision making and implementation processes are currently crucial and cannot be postponed. 30 October 2020 earthquake caused more than 117 deaths, collapse of numerous buildings and massive damage in Bayraklı district of Izmir. The extent of the damage show that once again, the city has a high earthquake risk however it is not adequately prepared for that risk. This study aims to provide an overview of risk management in spatial planning, as well as providing guidance for future spatial planning methodologies, from the perspective of Izmir-Bayraklı's previous planning initiatives. After evaluating the earthquake risk management in spatial planning generally, the case of Bayraklı will be analysed in detail. This will include an analysis of the previous plans' risk management strategies, an explanation of why such significant destruction took place despite the existence of a nation-wide strict legal framework and planning efforts, and a recommendation for a spatial planning policy that will ensure the sound-basis risk management in planning. The case study area includes Mansuroğlu, Manavkuyu and Adalet neighbourhoods located in Bayraklı district of İzmir province.