The new zoning plan for Brno will be discussed by experts online.

Brno - The Office of the Architect of the City of Brno has prepared seven seminars and roundtables for the new zoning plan. Experts, city representatives, municipal parts, and civic associations will discuss the main topics online. People can follow all debates on the website or social media of the office starting Monday, its spokesperson Jana Běhalová said today in a press release.

The online discussions are replacing the exhibition of 381,346 urban planners at the Brno Urban Center, which is now closed due to the state of emergency declared in connection with the spread of the coronavirus. "We want to thoroughly discuss the topics that people most frequently asked us about during the discussion of the draft new zoning plan. Given the current situation, we are moving all events into the virtual space. We will record each discussion, and people can return to them," said the director of the Office of the City Architect, Michal Sedláček.

The series will kick off with a roundtable on the future of cycling transportation in Brno. Guests will be connected online. "We have invited planners who have been focusing on this topic for a long time, as well as representatives of the city and civic associations. We will discuss what the new zoning plan can do for cyclists and what more detailed documentation needs to provide," added traffic specialist of the office, Martin Všetečka. According to him, the aim is to find a way for cyclists to navigate the city so that the flow of all types of transportation is as smooth and safe as possible. Other topics include flood protection measures and height regulation of buildings.

The Brno zoning plan is already 26 years old and is the oldest in the Czech Republic. At the end of 2022, it will expire according to law, which is why Brno is working on preparing a new plan. "The Office of the City Architect of Brno took over the draft proposal two years ago. It completed it according to instructions that numbered over two thousand. Public discussions took place in the spring of this year," Běhalová informed.

According to the spokesperson, more than 8,200 submissions have been received regarding the new zoning plan, which amounts to about 36,000 individual objections and comments. "Now it is necessary to address all of them and adjust the proposal for a repeated public discussion, which will take place next year," added Běhalová.

According to Sedláček, the most challenging task is to find an agreement among the various groups advocating their interests. These include the city, municipal parts, residents, and developers. The Office of the City Architect hopes that the new zoning plan will provide new areas for residential construction, among other things.