Voters reject local planning revision

While a majority supported the municipal council's plans for community development in Cham and Walchwil, a difficult analysis lies ahead in Hünenberg.
 

Local planning revisions (Ortsplanungsrevisionen) are extremely time-consuming for municipal councils (Gemeinderäte) and administrations, but are usually a sure-fire success in referendums. This was the case in Cham and Walchwil in the Sunday referendum – but not in Hünenberg, where almost 56% of voters rejected the proposal. ‘Due to the strong opposition, it was clear that the result could go either way,’ said Hünenberg's head of construction Thomas Anderegg (Centre party) when asked by the Zuger Zeitung newspaper after the result was announced on Sunday.

He was nevertheless disappointed: ‘In the municipal council, we were convinced that we had won over the population through the numerous opportunities provided for participation.’ Against this backdrop, the voters' yes to the partial designation of the water area was little consolation.

The task now is to find out which parts of the revision have been rejected. ‘The fact that the opposition has raised a wide range of concerns makes the analysis all the more important – but also all the more difficult,’ he added candidly. The canton's original target of completing the local planning revision by the end of 2025 can no longer be met. ‘We now want to restart the process as soon as possible.’

The opposition was particularly vocal and numerous in Hünenberg. Several groups, as well as the local SVP (Swiss People’s Party), opposed the plans of the municipal council, and the remarkably high voter turnout of 62% reflected the broad public interest in this issue.

Growth can hardly be prevented
Criticism was levelled, for example, at the intended creation of so-called ‘affordable housing’ in new buildings on plots of land in the Dersbach, Eichmatt im Seeteil and Rony areas of the village.

In addition, a certain general weariness with growth was expressed. But one thing was clear: zero growth is out of the question for the municipal council, as head of construction Thomas Anderegg made clear in advance – nor would it be permissible. Ultimately, Hünenberg's politicians and administrators must comply with the canton's requirements as set out in the structure plan (Kantonal Richtplan). This envisages growth to around 10,500 people by 2040 – the current figure is around 9,000.

Opponents of the local planning revision in Hünenberg convinced the majority of voters                    Photo: Jakob Ineichen

A clear 'yes' in Cham
There are few reservations about growth in the immediate neighbourhood. Cham has already almost reached the cantonal structure plan target of 18,600 people by 2040. According to information on the municipality's website, more than 18,400 people currently live in the Ennetsee metropolis. This is the result of enormous construction activity, particularly on the site of the former paper factory (Papieri).

This trend is set to continue: in addition to the revised parking regulations, around 60% of voters approved the local planning revision on Sunday. This clears the way for development along the Knonauerstrasse, namely on the site of the former Pavatex wood processing factory and in the Spiess area. The latter involves a re-zoning, with plans to exclusively build relatively affordable apartments there.

Large development possible in Walchwil
These kinds of apartments are also desperately sought after in Walchwil, the second smallest municipality in the canton. The planned large development in the Büel area was consequently the main topic of the local planning revision, which encouraged 64% of eligible voters to participate. Sunday's approval by 745 votes to 590 – a majority of 56% – has now created the conditions for this to happen.

If the municipal council has its way, buildings with up to eight storeys will be constructed below the railway tracks. In the run-up to the vote, opponents distributed flyers with arguments against the project in letterboxes. But the corporation did not take this lying down, and countered with its own flyer.
 

Hünenberg is not a unique case
Voters in a Zug municipality had previously rejected a local planning revision in 2006: in Unterägeri. There was mistrust of the municipal council after the first vote in 2005 had been postponed due to procedural errors. It was only after a thorough revision that the policy finally received the support of the majority of voters in spring of 2008.

The municipal council did not want to expose themselves to this humiliation – and reacted eagerly: Unterägeri was the first municipality in the canton to complete the current local planning revision last spring. This is the case when the cantonal building authority gives its approval to the planned changes. Oberägeri has also completed the process, and people in Steinhausen approved the local planning revision in the summer. Risch and Neuheim will decide on the matter on the 30th November.