I own a small house with a living area of 80 m² (860 sq ft). Due to poor structural condition, the house is to be demolished and rebuilt on the same site with the same footprint. The nearly 500 m² (5400 sq ft) plot only contains the house, a single garage, a double garage, and a paved driveway/turnaround area in front of the garages. This means about 80% of the plot is covered with impermeable surfaces.
According to a phone inquiry with the building authority, either 40% or 60% impermeable surface coverage would be permitted. There is no grandfathering of the existing situation. This means I either have to demolish the garages, which are very solidly built and I do not want to remove, or I have to remove the paved driveway, resulting in driving over bare soil to reach the garages.
Since I already have a 40 m (130 ft) long driveway and there are rarely free parking spots on the street where the driveway connects, I cannot do without the garage.
Does anyone know if there might be further exceptions, or do I really have to plan on driving through mud to reach my garage?
According to a phone inquiry with the building authority, either 40% or 60% impermeable surface coverage would be permitted. There is no grandfathering of the existing situation. This means I either have to demolish the garages, which are very solidly built and I do not want to remove, or I have to remove the paved driveway, resulting in driving over bare soil to reach the garages.
Since I already have a 40 m (130 ft) long driveway and there are rarely free parking spots on the street where the driveway connects, I cannot do without the garage.
Does anyone know if there might be further exceptions, or do I really have to plan on driving through mud to reach my garage?
MachsSelbst schrieb:
... speechless.Sometimes, that’s for the best.By the way, the building authority staff are not gods. They are not paid to make things difficult for the average homebuilder, but to ensure compliance with regulations. And the law is just the way it is. I have already quoted part of it above. What others think about it is, if at all, secondary.
rick2018 schrieb:
Green roofs, permeable surfaces for driveways and paths, cisterns…
There are many ways to reduce sealed surfaces.
However, this does not solve the issue of the site coverage ratio. This is set in our zoning plan. If there is an exceedance, compensatory measures are required. The exceedance itself cannot be excluded from the outset due to federal law.
sergutsh schrieb:
By the way, the building authority staff are not gods. The clerks are paid not to make things difficult for the average builder but to ensure compliance with regulations.… and to show overenthusiastic citizens, who think they know better despite prior discussions, their limits.I realize I need to explain the property in more detail:
The house is located on a plot set back from the main road, with access rights (easement) through another parcel. The driveway ends in front of the house, but the garages are on the opposite side of the property. The square-shaped plot measures 480m² (5167 ft²), so it’s not very large. The house is built right on the boundary, with a 5m (16 ft) distance from the garages, which are also constructed along the opposite boundary. There is one single garage and one double garage. The area in front of the garages and the house, which also serves as the driveway to the property, is all paved, while behind it is a tiny garden.
In order to meet the 60% sealed surface area limit, I would have to either demolish the garages, which I don’t want to do, as they are built to a higher quality than the house. One garage is definitely needed since there are no parking spaces on the street, and the other is used as a cellar alternative. Removing the paving stones and driving across mud to reach the garage is also not practical.
The house is located on a plot set back from the main road, with access rights (easement) through another parcel. The driveway ends in front of the house, but the garages are on the opposite side of the property. The square-shaped plot measures 480m² (5167 ft²), so it’s not very large. The house is built right on the boundary, with a 5m (16 ft) distance from the garages, which are also constructed along the opposite boundary. There is one single garage and one double garage. The area in front of the garages and the house, which also serves as the driveway to the property, is all paved, while behind it is a tiny garden.
In order to meet the 60% sealed surface area limit, I would have to either demolish the garages, which I don’t want to do, as they are built to a higher quality than the house. One garage is definitely needed since there are no parking spaces on the street, and the other is used as a cellar alternative. Removing the paving stones and driving across mud to reach the garage is also not practical.
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