Resistance to the office

Owners fear for their land: Protest against rezoning

Veronika Fischer fears massive restrictions for her if her property is rezoned.(Bild: Doris Seebacher)

A new spatial planning program in Maria Enzersdorf, district of Mödling, is currently causing displeasure. According to a municipal letter from April, many properties are simply to be rezoned from one day to the next. Property owners fear restrictions and loss of value. 

Veronika Fischer is particularly angry. In April, she received a letter from the municipality. Her property - and that of many of her neighbors - was to be rezoned from one day to the next. From "agricultural grassland" to "grassland park". "This means a loss of value for the property and that I will no longer be allowed to erect an agricultural building on my land, for example," fears Fischer.

A total of 49 "reminders", i.e. objections, were submitted against the project. "These will be taken into consideration when the local council makes its final decision," says the municipality. Postscript: "However, without legal entitlement". Fischer now fears that final decisions could already be made at tomorrow's municipal council meeting.

Deputy Mayor Michaela Haidvogel gives the all-clear. "The entire agenda item has been dropped because we tried to process all objections and we were unable to reach an agreement". And: "All 49 citizens who submitted a reminder will be informed in the next few days". It is not yet clear when and if the reclassification will take place at all. "The purpose of the rezoning should be to ensure that green areas remain protected," explains Haidvogel.