The new zoning plan for Brno will be approved by the next city leadership

Gardening Colony in the City Center at Kraví hora

Brno - The decision on whether to eliminate gardening colonies in Brno or permit construction near the Brno Reservoir will be made only after the autumn municipal elections. The city council coalition led by the ČSSD will not make a decision on the new zoning plan during this electoral period. The document was originally supposed to come into effect this year, and the opposition has criticized the delays in its approval. Conversely, the coalition believes that the postponement will be beneficial. It provides more time for discussion with the public, said Mayor's Deputy Martin Ander (SZ) to journalists today.
    "We want to ensure that this important document is sufficiently discussed with the public, so that there is time for it," stated Ander. According to him, the council members also did not want to discuss the new zoning plan during the summer holidays when people are on vacation.
    Officials are currently gathering materials for the so-called concept of the zoning plan, which still includes three variants. The city hall will publish the materials in May, and the public will be able to comment on them. Officials will then address the residents' comments, the city hall will make a decision, and in the spring of 2011, the councilors should approve the guidelines for processing the final proposal of the zoning plan, already in one variant.
    In the new zoning plan, the city is expected to decide on several controversial issues. One of them is the elimination of some gardening colonies, which, according to some opinions, occupy valuable land in the city center and create a barrier with their fencing. Another issue is the R43 road. According to current plans, the main traffic route to Svitavy is supposed to pass through the Bystrc district, albeit in a tunnel. The majority of local residents disagrees with the plan passing through Bystrc.
    Due to the delay in approving the new plan, an update to the current one is now being prepared at the city hall. This update should resolve some of its shortcomings, for example, by introducing the concept of transformation areas for dilapidated industrial sites. When an investor comes today with a plan for their redevelopment, it must precisely match the categories defined in the zoning plan; otherwise, it is necessary to discuss a change. This process takes two years.
    The update is expected to come into effect this year. The new zoning plan not until 2012.