ᐅ Land Use Plan: Interpretation of Building Regulations

Hello everyone,

I am currently struggling a bit with our building regulations and have two questions.

1. The knee wall must not be higher than 50 cm (20 inches). However, I found a house in the residential area where it seems to be higher (based on the ratio of the window bottom edge to the intersection of the roof and the exterior wall). Who can or is responsible for telling me what the municipality has approved in the past? And if something like this has been approved before, can I automatically assume that this is the new standard?

2. The aspect ratio must be 1:1.2 for a rectangular building. How are bay windows, which are attached in the middle, included in this? How is their length and width defined? I would actually need more of an "L" shape than a square.

Best regards

If you want to build contrary to the applicable zoning plan, the building permit must be approved by the district authority. This process is then significantly more complex.

As long as the zoning plan is followed, the municipality or city can decide on the application themselves. At least, this is the procedure in Bavaria.

However, your construction project can also succeed if the approval must go through the district authority.

Hello Pacey82,

You have a contract with your architect (or should have one) that specifies the architect is responsible for the permit planning – for which your architect receives a considerable fee.

This includes answering specific questions related to your construction project as well as any other permits required in your building area. To answer your questions here in the forum, _all_ necessary information would need to be available, which is usually almost impossible to achieve.

Best regards
Dirk Grafe

Pacey82 schrieb:

1. The knee wall must not be higher than 50 cm (20 inches). Now I have found a house in the residential area that apparently has a higher one (ratio of the window sill to the intersection of the roof at the exterior wall). Who can or must tell me what the municipality has approved in the past? And if this has been approved before, can I then automatically assume this is the new standard?

You need to contact the responsible building planning office; that is, the department in charge of building permits (it might be called differently in Bavaria).

Pacey82 schrieb:

2. The aspect ratio must be 1:1.2 in a rectangular building. How are bay windows counted, especially those built in the center? How are their length and width defined? I would rather need an "L" shape than a square.

Whether bay windows or conservatories are permitted depends on the textual regulations of the zoning plan. Since you have not posted the relevant description here, no one can answer this question.

I would advise you to clarify this and other questions in a personal meeting; there should also be public consultation hours in the offices in Bavaria. You must not assume that every apparent deviation from the zoning plan in past years automatically means approval for your building project. Treat the case officers in the way you would wish to be treated yourself, and you should have an informative conversation.

Regards, Bauexperte

*Know-it-all mode*

An L-shaped building is not a rectangular structure.

An L-shape can be created by a bay window.
A bay window would be subordinate to the side of the house. However, a centrally positioned bay window does not create an L-shape.
How large a bay window is allowed to be in your area in Bavaria depends on the state building code or the zoning plan.

Since when can the height of a knee wall be determined from the window sills? For example, we have three different ones at the top, and now here you come 😉

Regards