The Olomouc council did not discuss the change of the zoning plan

Olomouc - The City Council of Olomouc today did not discuss the prepared proposal to change the zoning plan, which aims to set height limits for properties in the vicinity of the historic center and thus prevent the construction of the Šantovka Tower. The opposition movement ProOlomouc unsuccessfully proposed to include the change in the agenda of the council. According to the city hall, the item cannot be discussed yet, as the Ministry of Culture, at the instigation of the Šantovka Tower investor, unexpectedly announced that it is reviewing its previous opinion on the prepared amendment to the zoning plan.

The construction of the Šantovka Tower has been a topic of discussion in Olomouc for years. Heritage conservationists and some experts oppose it, claiming it would harm the historical skyline of the city. The investor claims otherwise and last autumn warned the city hall that the city had committed to collaborating on the project in a contract from 2010.

ProOlomouc justified its proposal to discuss the zoning plan change by pointing out that there is a risk of delay, as the investor may soon obtain zoning approval for the controversial high-rise building project. According to ProOlomouc chairman Tomáš Pejpek, the proposal for a change to the Olomouc zoning plan is properly discussed, and nothing prevented it from being presented to the council.

However, according to Marek Černý, head of the city hall's conception and development department, the proposal cannot be presented to the council at this time. The Ministry of Culture, led by former Olomouc mayor Antonín Staněk (ČSSD), has not yet stated whether it will confirm its previous position or issue a new one. The ministry is expected to do so by the end of April. "The procedure is determined by law, which states that the material is submitted at the moment when the process is completed. That moment has not yet occurred," Černý pointed out.

Pejpek counters that the ministry did not announce in advance the issuance of a new binding opinion on the prepared zoning plan change, it only announced the intention to review its previous procedure. According to Pejpek, the earlier opinion of the ministry applies now, which has been properly discussed in the prepared change to the zoning plan. However, according to Černý, the ministry can still change its opinion before the end of April. "If that happens, we are obliged to deal with it," Černý added.

Years ago, the Ministry of Culture prohibited the construction of high-rise buildings in the protective zone of the heritage reservation in Olomouc, which was reflected in the 2014 zoning plan. The height regulation was then annulled by the court. The council did not discuss the zoning plan change last year, and the council did not approve a temporary construction ban either. In February, the councilors approved the submission of an objection in the zoning proceedings concerning the Šantovka Tower project. The objection pertains to the height of the building. The city’s initiative will be addressed by the building authority.