Judgment of the administrative court – monument protection stops the Solar ambitions of the city ZürichEWZ plans on three listed Zurich School buildings photovoltaic systems. But the city had failed to clarify whether the plant would affect the protection of the object “significantly”, says now the administrative court in the case of long-Matt.Lorenzo Petrò10 Kommentare10Das sloping roof of the school house long Matt in Witikon would be ideal for photovoltaics.Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Micha L. Rieser)

The school house Langmatt in Zürich-Witikon, built in the Thirties of the last century, not at the first glance seems as an architectural monument. Rather unimpressive, the long, drawn-out, enclosed look-story building with the large roof tile surfaces. But according to the inventory of the protection-worthy buildings, it is an “early witnesses of the modern School construction in the sense of classical Modernism”. And not only in the urban inventory the school is recorded in the house, but also in the Federal inventory of protected heritage sites (Isos) – in the highest category for individual objects.

The large, low-slope roof of the power plant of the city of Zurich (EWZ) over land is still so much to be booming offer Solarzüri with photovoltaic panels. Solarzüri since 2014 renters in the city to invest independently in a solar system: Find enough Private of each Fund a few square meters of Panels, so the corresponding system is built. 19 such PV large-scale installations on city facilities such as factory farms and school systems has created EWZ in the past few years.

Already 18 plants

designed at the end of 2018, but no new facilities are added. All three for the next expansion step was provided for solar power plants located on buildings with a protective character, which is why the decision of the administrative court from the beginning of the month of drastic consequences is likely to have: It is according to the NZZ has supported the decision of the planning appeals Tribunal, on the appeal of the Zurich home protection found, the city clarified “too little, whether the monument protection object affected by the solar plants”.

This solar systems on existing buildings is no big deal anymore. In the past few years, were reduced to the promotion of green electricity on different political levels of administrative obstacles: Even if a building in the municipal inventory of buildings is not is a time-consuming building permit is required. A message to the Department is sufficient.

reassessment required

In the case of buildings that are in the inventory of the Canton and the Federal government, is to be obtained but is still a traditional building permit. If a solar installation does not interfere with the protected object, however, “essential”, is issued this permit also. This has. in the present case, the Bausektion of the city Council on 30 April 2019 done. Your licence has repealed the construction appellate court, however, again. On the appeal of the Zurich home protection, it found that the city had clarified the crucial point to little, namely whether the monument protection object affected by the plants. This decision, against the Bausektion of the town was based, has now also supported the administrative court (judgment VB.2019.758 of 8. 4. 20.) The judgment is not yet final.

Although there is the question of the impairment of the opinion of the urban monument preservation, this had “been very nearly”, was the verdict of the administrative court. There is a need for additional investigations and a formal report to the question of quality is a clear answer. The thing is rejected to the city for the detailed clarification.

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