Sharp debate: Green statute falls through - but a gravel garden ban should come

Created: 07/01/2022, 16:02

By: Wolfgang Schörner

The green preservation statute was about more flowering areas.

© Archive

A clear majority of the city council has rejected a green statute that should recommend builders to create flowering areas in their gardens.

While the proponents argued with climate protection and biodiversity, the opponents spoke of patronizing.

Penzberg – The city council and building committee have discussed the PM parliamentary group's proposal several times to adopt a green preservation statute.

Even a working group with all factions was formed.

Most recently, a majority of the building committee voted in favor of a defused version in May (we reported).

In it, the obligation to have flowering areas was converted into a recommendation.

The passages were deleted that a small tree should be planted every 300 square meters and that windowless facades of outbuildings and commercial buildings should be greened.

What remained in the draft statute included a ban on gravel gardens, greening of flat roofs and specifications for hedges, fences and walls.

“Do we always have to wait for disasters to react”

The parliamentary groups of PM and Greens (they were the only ones who voted "yes") in the Penzberg city council were correspondingly disappointed that this version also failed.

"It's sobering when you consider that there were five meetings to draft the statutes, in which we were willing to compromise and didn't make any maximum demands," said John-Christian Eilert (Greens).

He referred to the extinction of species and was angry: "We always have to wait for catastrophes to react." Markus Bocksberger (PM) was also upset: "I don't understand why we even founded a working group when the result was already certain," he accused the other factions.

That is a waste of a lifetime.

PM rejects criticism of Green Statute

Before the vote, Martin Janner (PM) once again campaigned for the statutes.

It is of exceptional importance for the well-being of the population.

It is about preserving green structures and reducing sealing to the necessary level.

Janner pointed out that there are already corresponding specifications in development plan areas.

The statute should apply to the areas that are not planned, i.e. where there is no development plan.

In addition, according to Janner, it is not about existing buildings, but about future buildings.

At the same time, he rejected the criticism of wanting to bully the client.

To the objection that the guidelines could not be controlled, he replied that many speed violations are not controlled, but that the speed limit is not wrong.

Opponents speak of patronizing - "we don't want to patronize people"

However, the other factions did not want to agree.

The statutes have some sensible approaches, but it is still a nanny, said Adrian Leinweber (SPD).

He recommended making it a guide for builders.

The CSU saw it similarly.

"We don't want to patronize people," said Aleksandar Trifunovic (CSU).

But he saw a guide as a good idea.

He also said that everyone agreed that they didn't want gravel gardens.

Trifunovic suggested including a ban in the local design statute.

Gravel gardens should be banned

The BfP also said no to a statute.

"The yield does not justify the effort," said parliamentary group leader Armin Jabs.

He had already voted "no" in the building committee because he considered separate statutes superfluous.

In addition, according to Jabs, you can save yourself specifications that are not controllable.

He did not consider the comparison with speed violations to be justified.

"That's a different value." Wolfgang Sacher (BfP) spoke of a "toothless paper tiger".

He also explained that the number of cases in which the statute applies is small, since most areas in Penzberg have a legally binding development plan.

City master builder Justus Klement showed a map showing that there are development plans for most residential areas.

The largest unplanned areas are therefore in Steigenberg, "On the Freedom",

also read

Prominent corner in Weilheim gets a facelift

Two bodies found in Peißenberg

In the end, the CSU, SPD, BfP and FLP voted against the statute.

PM and Greens remained in the minority.

A majority was in favor of a non-mandatory guide.

Against it were PM, BfP and Eilert.

The inclusion of a gravel garden ban in the local design statute is to be discussed in one of the next meetings.