Specifications for solar parks were decided by the members of the Dietramszell municipal council at their meeting on Tuesday. © Marcus Brandt/dpa
The municipality of Dietramszell adopts a catalogue of criteria for the approval of solar parks. However, exceptions should remain possible.
Dietramszell – Which areas are suitable for ground-mounted photovoltaic systems – and which are not? After long preliminary consultations, the municipal council has now set strict criteria for this. Solar parks are not permitted, for example, in the vicinity of listed buildings or in areas that serve local recreation or particularly characterize the landscape. They should be avoided on high-quality agricultural land. Nature and species protection must be guaranteed, for example, an elevation of the modules is desired, which enables grazing by sheep.
Dietramszell remains strict: Municipal council decides on criteria for PV systems
The list of criteria was drawn up by the Working Group on Energy and the Environment and initially presented to the Council in a closed session. In the public deliberation on Tuesday evening, the discussion was sparked by one requirement in particular: The plant must not be visible from any residential building – which must be proven with a terrain model. "In this way, we give the impression that we want to prevent PV systems as much as possible," said Hubert Prömmer (Greens). With the widely scattered settlements in the municipality, there is always someone who sees the modules. "I think there is still enough space left," replied Mayor Josef Hauser (Free Voters' Community). Exceptions are possible if affected residents declare their consent in writing.
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Opinions also differed on the financing of the plants. According to the catalogue of criteria, it may be carried out "exclusively by citizens of the municipality of Dietramszell". This is not legally tenable, Prömmer feared. Hauser emphasized: "We want to exclude large corporations from other federal states." You can only create acceptance "if it rings in your own wallet". In order for 100 percent of the trade tax revenues to remain in the municipality, the company must be located in the municipality. It is also envisaged that citizens of the municipality will be able to participate in the financing through fixed-interest small loans.
Dietramszell: Municipal Council votes in favour of criteria catalogue – "No rigid system"
According to the calculations, an area of 14.5 hectares would be necessary to cover the municipality's annual energy needs entirely with PV systems. Once this limit is reached, no new applications are to be approved. "That's only 0.15 percent of our municipal area," explained the head of the town hall. However, in view of the increasing spread of electric cars and heat pumps, Michael Häsch (CSU) considered the value to be too narrow. The catalogue of criteria is "not a rigid system," Hauser replied. In four years at the latest, the municipal council is to reconsider it.
With the dissenting votes of Häsch and Prömmer, for whom the regulation went too far, the municipal council decided on the criteria presented for the construction of ground-mounted PV systems as a binding requirement. In justified cases, however, individual decisions should be possible. In addition, it is planned to involve the population. The catalogue will now be passed on to Energiewende Oberland, which is to incorporate the requirements into an energy use plan. Hauser expects the result after the summer holidays.
At the request of Bernhard Fuchs (FW), the councillors agreed on an addition: If it turns out in the three-dimensional terrain modelling that not enough suitable areas remain, the non-visibility rule should be discussed again.
By the way: Everything from the region can also be found in our regular Wolfratshausen-Geretsried newsletter.
