Holzkirchen abolishes solar system statutes

Holzkirchen shows courage to take risks: In view of the energy crisis, the municipality completely dispenses with a solar system statute - and thus leaves it up to the citizens to what extent they install solar panels on their houses. Critics now fear a disfigurement of the townscape.

Holzkirchen – It had already been suspected at the meeting of the building committee in mid-March. At the time, the committee had recommended that the entire municipal council approve the administration's draft for a new solar system bylaw (we reported), but the discussion was controversial, and not everyone who voted for it seemed to do so out of conviction. This was also felt by Mayor Christoph Schmid (CSU), who grumbled at the time that he would hopefully not have to open the barrel again in the following general municipal council meeting. As reported, however, this is exactly what happened, and the municipal council rejected the revised solar system statutes at its meeting at the end of March. Thus, the old one from 2018, which the municipal council had actually assessed as outdated against the background of the energy crisis, continued to apply.

Now there is no longer a solar system statute at all: On Thursday evening, the municipal council decided to delete the statute of 2018 – without replacement. Whether on the roof, in the garden or on the balcony: solar systems with a length of up to nine meters and a width of three meters are now permit-free. Even on façades, where the revised solar system statutes had not allowed solar panels. Only the Bavarian Building Code, which is very liberal in this respect, as well as regulations on fire protection and traffic safety as well as development plans, tame the creative freedom of homeowners. And even in the case of the B-plans, FWG parliamentary group spokesman Torsten Hensel urged the administration to interpret them generously in the sense of repealing the statutes.

The fact that the vote turned out this way was not a matter of course in view of the sparsely staffed body: About ten councillors were missing, including many opponents of the draft solar system statutes. Therefore, representatives of both positions courted the favor of the other. CSU parliamentary group leader Sebastian Franz immediately made it clear: "We consistently reject the repeal of the statutes. Yes to the energy transition, but no to uncontrolled growth!" Without regulations, the beauty of Holzkirchen's townscape is in danger. Among other things, homeowners could now also stand up against the ridge direction.

FWG spokesman Torsten Hensel replied: "A lack of regulations is really not one of the deficits we have in Germany." Even without a statute, one does not move in a legal vacuum, which is why there is no threat of uncontrolled growth.

The chairman of the parliamentary group of the Greens, Robert Wiechmann, appealed: "Dear Sebastian Franz, now don't be so stubborn and go back to yourself!" Every kilowatt hour generated by a solar system means a bit of independence from the unjust regime. "That's more important than tasteful beauty issues!"

Simon Ammer (SPD) recalled that the revision of the existing statutes had aimed at liberalization: "But it would not have been liberalization, because we would have regulated things that were not previously regulated."

Against the votes of the CSU (with the exception of Johannes Dörder), the municipal council finally abolished the solar system statutes.