Cantonal council adapts construction law: Solothurn bans new rock and gravel gardens

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The cantonal council of Solothurn wants to ban the construction of new rock and gravel gardens in the canton. This is one of the changes that the Canton Council decided on Tuesday with the amended Spatial Planning and Construction Act and the Cantonal Building Regulations.

The final vote clearly achieved the necessary two-thirds majority for the law change, against some of the votes of the SVP. Previously, several individual points had been intensively discussed and voted on.

Beat Künzli (SVP) said that a ban on rock and gravel gardens would be “a huge violation of the property rights of homeowners and the autonomy of communities”. Thomas Lüthi (GLP) replied that it was not an absolute ban. If the stones are covered with saxifrage or other plants, the area is considered a countable green area and is therefore still permitted.

During the discussion it was further emphasized that existing rock gardens are not covered by the scheme.

Temporary facilities outside the construction zone

In addition to the ban on new rock and gravel gardens, the majority of the canton council also spoke in favor of the paragraph that prohibits the planting of invasive alien plants. The opponents had argued that this was already guaranteed by national laws and did not need to be additionally determined by the canton.

The amended regulations also allow heat pumps fully installed in buildings to be registered only 30 days before the start of construction; instead of a regular building application. No building permit is required outside the construction area for temporary facilities that remain there for a maximum of three months per calendar year.

The proposal that the municipality could specify the number of underground parking spaces for new construction with more than ten parking spaces was not implemented. At the request of the FDP, this option was deleted again. (SDA)

Source:Blick