Folk survey in Linz: green belt or concrete? Agora for citizens: inside!

Folk survey in Linz: green belt or concrete? Agora for citizens: inside!

Linz, Österreich - in Linz, a referendum is currently being prepared that could have a major impact on the preservation of the green belt and the city's local recreation areas. The central question that should be submitted to the citizens to coordinate is: Should the city prevent the construction of the green belt and instead invest in public transport? This comes from a report by Kleine Zeitung

The concern for the green belt is reinforced by several planned construction projects, including the further construction of the Westring (A26) and an east bypass by the Traun-Auen in the south of Linz. In September 2024, the alliance "Yes! To the green belt", which is committed to maintaining these valuable areas. Around 50 activists have already collected numerous support signatures for the referendum. Initiator Christian Leckschmidt is optimistic that the conditions for the survey are met after he was already involved in an earlier reference.

planned reconciliation in the Auhof

Another critical point concerns the planned reconciliation of the green belt in the Auhof, through which the initiative "Linz Green Guns Protect, now!" Concerns. The Linz local council intends to abolish the protection of the green belt in autumn 2024 with votes from the SPÖ and ÖVP. This changeover affects an area of ten hectares that is to be used for a digital university, with critics fear that the majority of the area could benefit private interests. This information comes from a report by Linz.plus .

Mayor Klaus Luger and city planning council Dietmar Prammer have already presented a "dynamic master plan" to justify the rededication. The initiative plans to collect 6,100 signatures by autumn to carry out a referendum because the municipal council had decided against a citizen participation in May. The destruction of the green belt not only threatens over 20,000 residents, but also in contradiction to the climate goals of the city.

challenges of urban development

These conflicts between construction projects and the preservation of green areas reflect a larger trend in urban development, which is also treated in various global discussions. The challenges of sustainable urban development concern ecological, economic and social aspects. A holistic understanding of the city as an interactive system is crucial to ensure future -proof planning. The knowledge emphasizes how important the integration of participation and the cooperation between politics, business and civil society is.