Minutes of the Büchenbach citizens' meeting on February 7, 2023

Lord Mayor Dr. Florian Janik welcomes the citizens present to the Büchenbach Citizens' Assembly and then refers to the general, usual rules.
The Lord Mayor also welcomes the members of the City Council and the employees of the city administration, introduces those present on the podium and explains their respective areas of responsibility.
Furthermore, Lord Mayor Dr. Florian Janik reports that, according to the provisions of the municipal code (Art. 18 GO), the recommendations and concerns of the citizens must be dealt with within three months by the City Council, the committee or, in the case of ongoing matters, by the administration, depending on the responsibility.
At 8:04 pm, he gives the floor to the citizens for their requests and applications.

1. fencing around the Holzweg dog meadow

There is a request for fencing (height 1.5 m) around the dog meadow on all four sides of Holzweg.

Chairman of the district advisory council, Mr. Winkelmann:
After treatment and inspection by the district advisory council, as well as discussions with dog owners, the district advisory council, the nature conservation advisory council and the Büchenbach history workshop decided against the need for a fence, as the fundamental problem is seen to be the lack of dog schools. The fencing of an alternative site failed for nature conservation reasons.

REQUEST
The dog meadow should be fenced in.
The motion was put to the vote and approved by a majority.

2. opening of the school sports facility (Mönauschule) to the general public

Information is requested on the measures to comply with the closing times as well as their monitoring and further planning regarding the use of the school sports facility at the Mönau school.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
The current use is by the "Integration for Sport" project outside the evening hours. There are no plans to extend the use of the school sports field. In the event of problems with users, please contact the school's property management (Mr. Moritz, e-mail: jens.moritz@stadt.erlangen.de, Tel. 0160 90734662).

3. opening of traffic on Bamberger Straße

When will Bamberger Straße be reopened to traffic?

Head of the Office for Urban Planning and Mobility, Mr. Lohse:
The opening of Bamberger Straße to traffic is not being pursued.

4. disposal of plastic waste

Information is requested on the appropriate procedure for the disposal of plastic waste and on the appropriate disposal of yellow bags by the Hofmann waste disposal company.

Mayor, Mr. Volleth:
Reference is made to reports from the media. The separation of plastic waste is recommended. Detailed information from the waste disposal company Friedrich Hoffmann GmbH Erlangen will be submitted later.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
It should be noted that the company Friedrich Hofmann GmbH Erlangen is only one stage in the waste disposal process. The importance of proper waste separation and the use of yellow bags is emphasized.

5. crosswalk at the intersection of Donato-Polli-Straße / Dompropststraße

The wish is expressed for a crosswalk or a traffic-calming measure, as well as the introduction of a play street or a raised crosswalk. It is requested that accident statistics for the last 20 years be presented and that efforts be made in the German Association of Cities to ensure that better safety methods are enshrined in law.

Head of the Office for Urban Planning and Mobility, Mr. Lohse:
A crosswalk is rejected for reasons of road traffic law. As an alternative, a traffic helper crossing during school hours is proposed. Accident statistics for the last 20 years are available to the road traffic authority and will be submitted subsequently.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
Other effective solutions such as a raised crosswalk are inadmissible and a play street is unrealistic. The German Association of Cities is positioning itself for more options for traffic safety in traffic law.

REQUEST
A crosswalk at the Donato-Polli-Straße / Dompropststraße junction is requested.
The motion was put to the vote and approved by a majority.

6. traffic situation at Rudeltplatz

The installation of speed bumps or controls to ensure compliance with traffic regulations is suggested.

Head of the Office for Urban Planning and Mobility, Mr. Lohse:
The situation is known. The road traffic authority will draw the attention of the police to the traffic situation.

7. district house Büchenbach

When will the district house be completed? The possibility of brewing beer on the premises of the Stadtteilhaus is also requested.

Head of the Office for Urban Planning and Mobility, Mr. Lohse:
The universally usable premises can also be used to brew beer together. Construction is scheduled to start in July 2023 and be completed in fall 2025. No specific date for the start of use can be given at present.

8. one-way street Kolpingstraße

Kolpingstraße (in front of the St. Xystus kindergarten) is to be converted into a one-way street and play street.

Head of the Office for Urban Planning and Mobility, Mr. Lohse:
The possibility of designating Kolpingstraße as a traffic-calmed area is confirmed. A detailed examination is promised.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
The suitability of Kolpingstraße for a one-way street will also be examined.

9. cycle path Adenauerring

Closing a gap in the Adenauer Ring cycle path between Goeschelstraße and Odenwaldallee is suggested. In the lower section of Odenwaldallee up to the bridge, it is proposed that the widening of the Adenauerring be reduced to two lanes and the footpath widened. It is desired to straighten the footpath and cycle path at the entrance to Donato-Polli-Straße and to highlight the cycle path at the Donato-Polli-Straße-Odenwaldallee road crossing with red paint as a continuous cycle and footpath for better visibility. Shading of the cycle path by planting trees is also requested.

Head of the Office for Urban Planning and Mobility, Mr. Lohse:
The suggestions will be examined by the mobility planning and road traffic authority.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
District Advisory Council Mr. Winkelmann, it is suggested that the matter be addressed after an internal discussion in the District Advisory Council .

Chairman of the District Advisory Council, Mr. Winkelmann:
A thematization in the district advisory council and a site inspection with interested citizens* is proposed.

10. organic shopping facilities

The City of Erlangen is asked about plans for the construction of further organic supermarkets. The market operator Ebl was approached as a possible local supplier for the Neue Mitte.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
There are currently no plans to designate further areas for local supply. If an existing supermarket goes out of business, the possibility of an organic supermarket will be examined. The need for organic supermarkets is recognizable.

Chairman of the district advisory council, Mr. Winkelmann:
As part of the Büchenbacher Anlage, a request was made at a public meeting of the district advisory council for more high-quality local suppliers. As there is a need, it is requested that the organic market operators be actively approached and recruited when spaces become available.

11. planning status of the Odenwaldallee / Stadtteilhaus West local supermarket

Concerns are expressed about the current planning and the withholding of the results of the ISEK study on the expanded local supply. Citizens fear that, according to the current plan, the current extended range of local amenities will be reduced by the removal of small businesses. Concerns are also expressed about the number of planned new apartments and the comparatively large number of underage transfer benefit recipients without corresponding expansion plans for the schools. Information is requested on the current status of planning and the extent to which the city intends to exert and enforce its influence on investors. It is also suggested that vacant properties be recorded in order to make better use of the existing space.

Head of the Office for Urban Planning and Mobility, Mr. Lohse:
The draft development plan is expected to be submitted to the Environment, Transport and Planning Committee / Works Committee EB77 (UVPA) in the second quarter of 2023. The citizens' unease is well known. A compromise is being sought in cooperation with politicians, the specialist department and the investors. The city has the option of stipulating the use of the first floor for local amenities in the new draft of the development plan. The owner has promised to offer commercial space on the first floor if there is sufficient supply and demand. Existing commercial tenants will be offered talks on continuing to operate in the new building complex. Further development prospects are planned in the GEWOBAU properties.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
The investors and city councillors are engaged in a dialog on the subject of the storey height of the local shopping center. Once the plans have been discussed by the city council, there will be another public consultation and only then will a building contract be concluded. The concerns of the citizens are recognized and taken seriously, but the long-term local supply of the area must be secured. Both a seven-storey and a two-storey building appear unrealistic. We ask for your understanding in the search for a compromise.

Chairman of the District Advisory Council, Mr. Winkelmann:
Many problems are already known and will be taken up and dealt with by the city council. The issues raised will be taken on board. A further public meeting of the district advisory council on this topic is not planned.

MOTION
The development plan should be limited to four full storeys.
The motion was put to the vote and approved by a majority.

12. waste garbage cans at the canal

There are too few waste garbage cans at the canal.

Mayor, Mr. Volleth:
In principle, the Waterways and Shipping Authority is responsible for the canal routes. After an inspection, it was determined that there are eight litter garbage cans on the west side and 17 on the east side, which covers the demand.

13. lack of canal lighting

Attention is drawn to the inadequate lighting of the canal paths.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
The canal paths are not municipal land. The land belongs to the Federal Republic of Germany. It is assumed that no lighting is planned in this area.

Mayor, Mr. Volleth:
The lighting at the lock is intended for operational purposes only.

14. dog area

The idea of setting up a dog sports ground (dimensions 10 x 20m or 20 x 20m) with appropriate dog sports equipment by the City of Erlangen is put forward.

Mayor, Mr. Volleth:
Reference is made to dog sports clubs and two dog exercise areas in the canal area. The City of Erlangen does not provide such places.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
So far there has been no need due to the dog sports clubs.

15. night air traffic

Night-time air traffic disturbs the peace and quiet at night.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
The complaint situation is well known. The city councils of Fürth and Erlangen are committed to maintaining the night-time peace. Intensive discussions are taking place between the cities and Nuremberg Airport. Please report any disturbances to the airport and to the Central Franconia government's aircraft noise officer (e-mail: fluglaerm@reg-mfr.bayern.de, tel. 0911 5270039). These offices will include the reports in their statistics and this will influence further measures.

16. bus connection Büchenbach - center

It is pointed out that the bus service between Büchenbach and the city center takes a very long time. An optimization of the routes is desired.

Head of the Office for Urban Planning and Mobility, Mr. Lohse:
The mobility planning department and Erlanger Stadtwerke AG see potential in express lines. The introduction of express lines in Büchenbach was included in the current update of the local transport plan for 2024 as a measure to be investigated. Lindnerstraße is a possible starting point. Various concepts are being examined.

17th bus route "In der Reuth"

The "In der Reuth" bus service has a very long route. In addition, the bus only runs once an hour in the morning.

Erlanger Stadtwerke AG, Ms. Angerer:
The "In der Reuth" bus stop is located in a low-density area. The suggestion will be included in the local transport plan for consideration.

18. snow service Membacher Steg to the long Johann

A request is made to clear the Membacher Steg cycle path as far as Lange Johann in the event of snowfall.

Mayor, Mr. Volleth:
Erlangen's roads are divided into different priorities for winter maintenance. The Membacher Steg is priority one and is therefore cleared quickly. However, the Membacher Weg is not. Consequently, the cycle path over the Membacher Steg should be chosen in winter.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
It is pointed out that not all paths and roads can be cleared in winter. The winter road clearance service tries to clear a cycle path to the most important connection points in every part of the city. Reference is made to maps on the website.

19. overcrowding on bus routes 286 / 287

Bus routes 286 and 287 are very overcrowded. Why have the travel times of route 286 been restricted to Mondays to Saturdays during the day? Why are articulated buses not used more frequently?

Erlanger Stadtwerke AG, Ms. Angerer:
The full buses are known and the passenger numbers are currently being evaluated. We are working on a remedy with larger buses. Büchenbach has a very high density of use. During off-peak hours from 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays, a one-hour service complies with the regulations and is being implemented. The buses are currently also very busy due to canceled trips.

20. play and learning room in Büchenbach (Haus für Kinder BüNO 19)

Due to the very sensitive motion detector of the floodlight system of the publicly accessible basketball court, the area is illuminated all night and is used around the clock as a meeting place. The combination of the hard surface court and the large building ensures that there is a high level of noise pollution when the court is in use outside the normal usage times of the play and learning room. It is requested that the motion detector be deactivated at night or that the area be locked at night. An inspection of the site is also requested in order to examine possible noise protection measures.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
The lighting was discontinued in consultation with the police due to security incidents. As the security incidents have decreased due to the increased lighting, the lighting situation will not be changed. A possible night-time cordoning off of the area is to be discussed during an inspection with citizens and the playground office.

21. e-scooters

It is asked when the use of e-scooters in Erlangen and Büchenbach will end.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
The federal government has permitted the use of e-scooters. The various e-scooter operators have made agreements with the City of Erlangen and largely comply with them. In the event of problems, please contact the e-scooter operators directly (contact details can be found on the e-scooters).

22. lack of club sports facilities

Due to the rejection of the West 3 construction area, a large (sports) facility was also rejected; accordingly, an appeal is made for an alternative solution, such as inclusion in the planning of the 413 construction area.

Mayor, Mr. Volleth:
The need and necessity for a club sports facility are well known. The city of Erlangen currently has no building land to realize a club sports facility. The inclusion of a club sports facility in the planning of the 413 development area is being examined. It should be noted that the area for recreational use in the 413 development area, at around two hectares, is significantly smaller than the usual club sports facilities in the city area, at around five hectares. Accordingly, a club sports facility in development area 413 would differ significantly from the current plans.

Chairman of the district advisory council, Mr. Winkelmann:
An internal meeting with Mr. Volleth and the clubs is proposed in order to concretize the planning of a club sports facility.

23. expansion of public charging stations in Büchenbach

There is currently no possibility of installing private and public charging stations in the area of the high-rise buildings. It is suggested that public charging stations be set up at the public parking spaces in the area of the properties Würzbürger Ring No. 27 and 29.

Head of the Office for Urban Planning and Mobility, Mr. Lohse:
An e-charging station has been in operation in the 411 construction area since 2020. The City of Erlangen and Erlanger Stadtwerke AG are currently working on a concept to expand the public charging infrastructure, with the aim of installing three more public charging stations in Odenwaldallee, Dompropststraße and in construction area 412 by 2023. The proposal for a public charging station in Würzburger Ring is being examined.

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
No further charging stations are planned this year.

Chairman of the District Advisory Council, Mr. Winkelmann:
It is known that in some areas, such as Aschaffenburger Straße, the infrastructure does not allow the expansion of private charging stations. The City of Erlangen and Erlanger Stadtwerke AG are asked to improve the supply situation.

24. reconstruction of the Dorfstraße / Europakanal junction

Should the reconstruction of the Dorfstraße / Europakanal junction improve the safety of the area?

Lord Mayor, Dr. Janik:
The safety of the area will be improved by the reconstruction as a whole, but especially for bicycle traffic.

Lord Mayor Dr. Florian Janik closes the citizens' assembly at 22:13 and thanks the citizens for the discussion and for their commitment.

on behalf of
signed.
Mayor's Office and Press Office