Civic participation
As legal zoning plans have considerable, long-term effects on the availability, value, and appearance of a plot of land they are drawn up in accordance with a formal procedure regulated in sections 2 – 13a of the German Building Code (BauGB). This ensures that with regard to the plans all issues and problems are carefully recorded and weighed up in a just manner. This primarily involves the large-scale participation of all those affected, and the general public.
Active participation is possible in the following ways:
1. Early participation of the public
The public is informed as early as possible about the general objectives and purposes and the probable effects of the plans. Possible alternative plans which come into question with regard to the remodeling or development of the planning area, are included. To this end the plans are presented and discussed at a public information event. As a rule this takes place at a meeting of the Local Consultative Council in the relevant district. Here you have an opportunity to express your opinion, concerns, and suggestions.
The results of this participation are taken into account in the further processing of the draft of the urban development plan. To this end minutes of the event are taken and evaluated by the City Planning Department. The procedure for the early participation of the public is regulated by section 3 (1) (BauGB).
How you can find out information?
The dates of these events are made known in good time in the official gazette of the City of Frankfurt, on posters in the locality, and are also published in the press. On the pages News and Current Instances of Participation on our Internet portal also draw attention to these meetings. There is also detailed advance information about the urban development plan procedure.
2. Public display
In the second stage of the participation the planning documents prepared by the City Planning Department are displayed in public, as a rule for one month. The procedure for the public display is regulated by section 3 (2) (BauGB).
How you can find out information?
The venue and duration of the public display are announced in good time in the official Gazette of the City of Frankfurt. During this period the City Planning Department’s Planning Information service is available for explanations.
Furthermore the pages News and Current Instances of Participation draw attention to the public display. You can also view all the planning documents included in the public display online, and use the online participation form.
In addition the planAS information system gives you an opportunity to create the spatial context of the urban development plan procedure in the area and view it in connection with valid planning legislation.
We want to know what you think
During the participation period mentioned you have an opportunity to express your opinion about the plans. There are various ways of commenting:
- in writing by post to address listed under Contact or
- using the online participation form for the relevant urban development plan procedure on the page Current Instances of Participation.
When submitting your opinion please always state your full name and address. On receipt you will be sent confirmation of this.
Should you send us your opinion by post, please be sure to include the designation or the number of the procedure.
Please also note that any opinions not submitted on time may potentially not be considered.
All opinions received will be examined by the City Planning Department. All suggestions will be assessed, compared with the previous planning result and with each other, taking other private and public interests into consideration. This can result in changes to the plans. If necessary the public display will then be repeated.
The result of the assessment is presented to the city council for a final decision about the urban development plan to be made. On conclusion of the procedure we will inform you in writing of the extent to which your opinion was taken into consideration.