The villa built without permission in Pardubice is on the way to legalization

Pardubice - The villa of entrepreneur Miloš Holeček, built in Pardubice without a building permit, apparently has a clear path to legalization. A public hearing took place on Monday with the participation of a single person regarding the change to the zoning plan, which aims to change the land use of the area where the house stands from recreational green space to suburban residential. The final "blessing" will likely be in the hands of the city councilors in March.
    "When changing the zoning plan, the area is viewed as if no building is standing there; it is also not legally there. A part of the land measuring about 500 m² is designated for residential purposes, which is a negligible portion compared to the buildable areas defined in the Pardubice zoning plan. From an urban planning perspective, it has no impact," said Kamila Zárubová from the city's chief architect's department to ČTK.
    The house is located in the area Na Ležánkách adjacent to the Na Špici park near the confluence of the Elbe and Chrudimka rivers on land that is not entirely designated for construction; part of it is marked as recreational green space. In the past, the Supreme Administrative Court decided on the removal of the building. However, in June 2012, the councilors voted that a change to the zoning plan would be made to allow it to be retroactively legalized, and subsequently, the building authority suspended the enforcement proceedings aimed at demolishing the structure. Holeček is paying for the amendment to an architectural studio hired by the city.
    Architect and Pardubice councilor Milan Košař (Pardubáci) considers the concession from Pardubice to be a mistake. "This is a completely non-standard procedure, but the council decided this way, and procedurally it is correct," he told ČTK. The request for the change to the zoning plan in favor of the Holeček couple was submitted by ODS councilor Miroslav Baťa. According to Košař, while it was not necessary to insist on the demolition of the "illegal building," the city could have imposed a significant penalty on the entrepreneur. "A reasonable compromise could have been for him to pay a relatively substantial fine, which he would probably have gladly done, and that could have funded part of the adjustments to the Na Špici park that the city is planning," Košař stated. Holeček received a fine of 200,000 crowns for the illegal building.
    According to Jiří Vopršal, the head of the building authority, once the amendment to the zoning plan is approved, it will be possible to legalize the building retroactively. The suspended enforcement proceedings would be stopped, and additional penalties would not be justified.