The urban plan of Brno will change, thus accommodating investors

Brno - The Brno urban plan is set to be changed to respond more flexibly to investor projects. The city council approved the development of changes today. According to the mayor's deputy Martin Ander (SZ), the current urban plan is over-regulated and excessively rigid, which its updated form will change. The opposition criticized the decision.
    The current urban plan, according to Ander, does not allow for the construction of large garages in such a way that above four floors of parking spaces, the investor would build two floors with apartments. This is because the urban plan only discusses parking. The construction of apartments and houses with shops is also not possible in old factory areas, so-called brownfields. "When an investor came with an idea, we had to say, that's great, but first we need to change the urban plan, and that will take a year and a half," Ander told ČTK, noting that investors then left the city. According to him, support for business is necessary during times of economic crisis.
    According to today's decision of the councilors, the conclusions from some general studies, mainly the drainage general study, will also be incorporated into the updated urban plan. The map of Brno will thus delineate areas where investors cannot build without first constructing a new sewer line. There will also be an obligation to retain rainwater at the construction site. If the city does not take such a step, it should soon face problems with rainwater drainage, according to Ander. In the city center, where sewer constructions are expensive, the deputy noted that sewers would have to be built in such "gigantic dimensions that it is unacceptably expensive and in many places technically impossible."
    The opposition criticized the update of the urban plan. According to councilor Karel Hledík (ODS), today's decision will lead to "a legislative mess." The processing of the update will reportedly conflict with the current development of a new urban plan. The Civic Democrats also criticized the fact that studies will be expensive - the update alone will cost about five million crowns. "I would wait for the tender. But I can already guarantee that the same work will not be paid for twice," Ander said.
    The current urban plan of Brno was approved in 1994, and over the past 14 years, councilors have changed it many times. The new urban plan was supposed to be in effect by 2010, but the discussions have been delayed, so it will come into effect no earlier than 2012. According to Ander, the delay was caused by the planning of certain transportation projects, for example R43, against which part of the residents of Brno are protesting. Designers are now drawing a map of Brno without this road at the request of the city council, which the Greens advocated. The option without the road or with it will be selected during the approval of the plan.
    Another reason for the delay, according to Ander, is the new building law. It requires the city to discuss all publicly beneficial constructions included in the plan with the parcel owners. "Can you imagine how many hundreds, perhaps thousands of owners will be affected by this and how many discussions we will have to go through," the deputy said.