45 citizens and 13 councillors attended the citizens' meeting at the TSV sports center – and a wide range of topics was discussed. The ambiguities surrounding the building plot on the road to the mountain farm and the planned photovoltaic system on the road from Gernach to Lindach were the two topics that most moved the citizens of Gernach.
At the beginning of the meeting, Mayor Horst Herbert had presented what the municipal council and the administration are most concerned about at the moment: The municipality's major construction projects, open-space photovoltaic plants, the planned construction of a new school building, broadband expansion, conversion of street lighting to LED, the new construction areas, and finances. Gernach was able to increase its population by 20 last year. A rarity: in the past year, Gernach had no deaths to report. Gernach had on 1. January 547 inhabitants.
The treatment of the development plan in the municipal council for the planned photovoltaic plant was postponed for about half a year due to the lack of personnel in the municipal administration. The planned building area extension encounters problems, since in the area taken for it in prospect a property encumbered with a mortgage lies. The mortgagee for this property is in the 2. World War fallen, heirs are not known, the estate investigations make themselves difficult.
Cycle path is renewed
The community was informed about the planned erection of a mobile mast directly opposite the Berghof, plans are not available yet. "There is already headwind, the operators know about it", according to Heck.
Winfried Nickel and Rebecca Weber complained about the poor condition of the cycle path from Gernach to Unterspiesheim. The answer of the mayor: In the context of the land consolidation the way on the Unterspiesheimer Gemarkung is made again. The proposal made by Winfried Nickel to renew the 300-meter section of the path on Gernach territory is not easy to implement, because it would have to be put out to tender, informed the mayor.
Another question from Winfried Nickel: the number of greenhouses in the vicinity of the Gernach lakes is increasing, and the associated groundwater extraction is also having a negative effect on the water level of the Gernach lakes. The installation of the greenhouses does not require a permit, the mayor informed. The water withdrawal was controlled by the water management office, the quantity, which may be taken, is specified and controlled. Everything had been done correctly, according to the information he had received from the water management office.
Water law procedure
It is also to be criticized that probably some lines are not tight, because water stands on the surface, added Margot Schneider. This would also waste water. Andrea Heck expressed the wish that the municipal administration should make more sustained representations to the water management office in this regard.
What is planned on the property on the right on the way to the mountain farm was another question from Winfried Nickel. One had heard that a chicken farm with mobile stables had been planned there. There are various structures to be seen, a fixed hut with a chimney.
This is not approved at the moment, a water law procedure is underway, because the nearby well must be protected, informed the mayor. The results of the hydrological expertise were not yet available to him.
Nitrate values have risen alarmingly
Bernhard Berchtold reported that he had the water values of the well regularly examined, the nitrate values had risen worryingly in the past years. The construction of a hall of up to 100 square meters does not require a permit, Horst Herbert informed. When he had installed a chimney, the builder – after he had addressed him – had to submit a building application, which is at the district office for decision.
The hall had been applied for as an egg sorting facility, the construction design with large windows, without water and wastewater connection raised concerns about it, according to another contribution from the audience. The decision on what to do with the other buildings also lies with the district office.
Martina Treutlein addressed the possible odor nuisance caused by the planned keeping of chickens. She would have liked the developer to play with open cards and inform the citizens about his plans in advance.
Stable for 1500 chickens
Bernhard Berchtold informed that for the building application for the mobile chicken house the number of 1500 chickens had been indicated. The citizens of Gernach did not understand why the municipal council had approved this project. The mayor expressed understanding for the displeasure. The municipality could refuse however against agricultural projects the municipal agreement only if the municipality has own plans for this surface. This had not been the case. Approval authority is the district office.
If there are immission problems, the immission control authority of the district office is responsible. A citizen petition does not apply to this issue because the approving authority is the district office. However, it is possible to collect signatures to make clear the reservations of citizens, clarified the mayor when asked.