Environmental assessment of the development plan with intervention compensation

Environmental assessments for development plan procedures have been a bread-and-butter task for landscape planners since their mandatory introduction in the Building Code.

For early participation in the "Langäcker" development plan, a scoping paper explained the planned scope of investigation agreed with the municipality in terms of the principles and methods for assessing the environmental concerns to be taken into account.
Depending on how far the development plan has been concretised, a preliminary assessment of the significance of the construction area for environmental concerns, the effects of the planning and proposals for the avoidance and compensation of impairments can already be presented at this stage.

In consideration of the suggestions of the public agencies on the proposed scope of investigation, the environmental assessment was carried out on the draft of the development plan "Langäcker".
As a basis for the assessment of nature and landscape, an inventory of the vegetation and use structures was carried out. In addition, the faunistic survey of specially protected species was to be coordinated to record the biological diversity in the area.
In the environmental assessment, the impact regulation was also taken into account by proposing measures for the avoidance and compensation of impairments after the investigation of the effects on the protected goods animals, plants, soil, water, air, climate as well as the landscape. For example, existing fruit trees are to be preserved, site-appropriate meadows are to be created, high-stem fruit trees and native deciduous trees are to be planted, insect-compatible outdoor lighting is to be installed, compacted soils are to be recultivated, farmland is to be improved with excess topsoil, and rainwater is to be retained and infiltrated.
In addition, the environmental assessment determined the effects of the planning on biodiversity, people and their health, cultural and material assets, Natura 2000 sites, emissions, waste and wastewater, the use of renewable energies, the presentation of environmental plans and the preservation of the best possible air quality.

The results of the environmental assessment were presented in an environmental report and explained to the administration, the municipal council, the agencies of public interest and the public. In order to incorporate the avoidance and compensation measures into the development plan, suggestions were made for the plan presentation and textual stipulations were formulated. In the treatment of suggestions from the public and the agencies of public concern, the comments regarding the environmental concerns were prepared.

In simplified and accelerated development plan procedures according to §§ 13, 13a and 13b of the Building Code, an environmental assessment is not required, but the environmental concerns dealt with therein must nevertheless be taken into account, which can be explained, for example, in the explanatory memorandum of the development plan and for which a landscape planner should also be consulted.