Although the majority of Brunnthal decided against a wind turbine in the Hofoldinger Forest, a wind turbine could now be built on its own ground.
A request from the municipality of Weyarn about the use of the forest area to the address of the Bavarian State Ministry for Agriculture and Forests could drive a path into the forest.
Brunnthal - The Brunnthal municipal council discussed the topic now.
Critical voices on the advance from the south predominated.
But first you have to wait until the Bavarian Ministry of Agriculture decides, well-known Mayor Stefan Kern (CSU).
It is definitely an explosive topic.
“It would be an absolute hammer and downright grotesque if, in the end, it was not Brunnthal itself, but another community that operated the wind power on our doorstep,” said Kern.
That's what Weyarn's mayor says
But because the Brunnthal municipal council in March, accompanied by anti-wind power protests, decided by a narrow majority to withdraw from the ARGE Windkraft operated with the neighboring communities of Sauerlach, Otterfing and Aying and rejected its own wind power plant there, it could also happen. Because the request from Weyarn and on the part of its own mayor Leonhard Wöhr (CSU) has had increased tailwind at the latest since July 21 of this year. Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) had emphasized in his government statement at the time that the state government wanted to strengthen wind power in the state forests in the future and also prefer to build new wind turbines there. Apparently the initial spark for Wöhr. "Our motivation is the fulfillment of our high energy goals for climate neutrality",stresses the Weyarn council chief. You want to throw your own hat into the ring before foreign investors can act. It is particularly important to involve regional municipalities. Brunnthal has the first access. But if Brunnthal should not take further action, you want to get involved, so Wöhr.
10H rule could fall
Keyword framework conditions: These could change decisively soon after the federal election.
In his summer government declaration, Söder had already favored reducing the prescribed distance in forests and selected areas to a minimum distance of only 1000 meters from residential developments instead of the 10H rule that was still in force.
Observers believe that “10H” as a whole will be completely overturned due to the immense demands placed on an energetic change of direction.
In the event of a further refusal from Brunnthal, Wöhr would therefore “apply for the fallow site in the state forests in the municipality of Brunnthal”.
Weyarn - unlike Brunnthal - apparently already has possible concepts in the drawer.
In this way, a commitment can take place with the Weyarn municipal works.
The "Bürgersolarstrom Feldkirchen-Westerham & Weyarn GbR" have already signaled their interest.
Wöhr is because “that the citizens can also participate”.
Wait for the Ministry's decision
In Brunnthal, according to city hall chief Stefan Kern, they now want to wait for the decision of the ministry and the state forests. "Should the 10H rule generally tip, we will have completely different issues to tackle," emphasizes the mayor. Then the rotors - whether Brunnthaler, Weyarner or in the end purely private sector - could end up turning much faster and in far more locations than previously thought.
In the local council, Mayor Stefan Kern emphasized that the Brunnthal veto from March would apply for one year.
“If we say no, then there will be no rescheduling for the time being.
But what comes after that?
“What if the legal basis changes after the federal election?
What if the federal government or Bavaria itself tilt the 10H special route and open up the forest to other municipalities as well?
When asked, Kern confirmed that there were already several inquiries - not only from Weyarn.
"Pig stall" or "legitimate request"?
Voices from the local council
Many in the council were not in the mood for a new fundamental discussion on “wind power in the forest”. Andreas Langner (CSU) even feared a "new pandemic of stupidity". He goes "against the grain that we reject wind power in the forest and then want to build other communities with us". Member of the parliamentary group and second mayor Thomas Mayer recommended Weyarn and possible other interested parties: "If Weyarn is pro wind power, then they should influence their own regional planning on site." The way the municipalities deal with each other is certainly not the right one. Third Mayor Robert Huber (PWB) said it was a “pigsty” to Weyarn's address if the motto was: “If Brunnthal doesn't build, Weyarn will spoil the forest.” Apparently, it wasn't in public yet arrived,that one is not against wind power, but against wind power in the Hofoldinger forest. "But wind power will come, and Weyarn wants to drive this energy transition forward," replied Kern. That is a "legitimate request".
Hilde Miner (Greens) does not only classify the advance from Weyarn as legitimate. "Perhaps the need for change has not yet arrived everywhere," she noted. "If we do not achieve the goal of only 1.5 degrees warming, then there will be no more livable world for our children", was her "appeal to conscience". Peter Sachs (CSU) agreed in principle. “But we don't want our forest to be ruined.” Sachs pleaded for a “closed conference” on the subject. "No, you have to deal with it publicly," contradicted his party colleague Kern. “We all have to go inside,” he confessed. “Do we want to go back to the consortium or risk outsourcing?” Then foreign investors could get the contract and build so many wind turbines in the forest that it would also be economically profitable.
