FW|FÜR Karlsruhe group in favor of greening despite headwind in planning committee
The FW|FÜR Karlsruhe group regrets that its proposal for trees in raised beds on the Karlsruhe market square did not receive sufficient support in yesterday’s planning committee. The motion, which was already introduced last December by the FW|FÜR Karlsruhe group, was aimed at creating a green oasis in the city center on the market square. In the December meeting of the municipal council, a majority was in sight, but Mayor Frank Mentrup had the application postponed to the planning committee, where the agenda item ended up three months later. Despite support from some political groups, the motion could not be pushed through on the last one. In addition to the rejection of a general greening by SPD and KAL/Die Partei because of Weinbrenner’s classicism, the Greens and CDU agreed with the FW|FÜR Karlsruhe group to hold the vote after the summer break instead of in the upcoming April meeting of the municipal council, since by that time the construction and time windows on the eastern and western edges of the market square will be fixed.
The city councilors of the FW|FÜR Karlsruhe group, Friedemann Kalmbach and Jürgen Wenzel, criticize the lengthy process and the lack of will. “It is regrettable that the idea of the application is not approached with vigor and new reasons are always sought as to why a decision on this is not possible,” said Friedemann Kalmbach. “We have been advocating for trees in the marketplace from the beginning to green up the downtown area and thus increase the quality of life for citizens. It’s a shame that our idea hasn’t met with widespread support.”
Jürgen Wenzel emphasizes the importance of trees in the city. “Trees are essential in times of climate change, providing shade and cooling. Especially in the marketplace, where many people spend time in the summer, trees would be a great asset to the city. We can’t afford to ignore the importance of trees to the city’s quality of life.”
The FW|FÜR Karlsruhe group also emphasizes that the reasons given by the administration and the factions for rejecting the application are not valid. “Initially, it was said that monument protection speaks against trees in the marketplace. But after a thorough examination, it became clear that the monument protection could be implemented with appropriate conditions,” says Friedemann Kalmbach. “Then they said there was no grant money available for the project. However, this line of reasoning has also proven to be wrong. Now it is allegedly the construction sites at the market place that stand in the way of implementing the application. We think this is pretextual, because it’s perfectly possible to decide on the trees in the marketplace now and then go into commissioning and planning accordingly.”
The FW|FÜR Karlsruhe group will continue to advocate for a greening of the market place and hopes for a positive decision in the coming September.
FAQ
Was war der ursprüngliche Antrag der FW|FÜR Karlsruhe Fraktion?
The group had submitted a motion in December 2022 with the aim of creating raised beds with trees in the market square to green the city center and increase the quality of life for citizens. The motion built on a 2019 group motion on marketplace greening, as well as responses to an open letter in subsequent years.
Warum konnte der Antrag nicht in der April-Sitzung des Gemeinderates durchgesetzt werden?
Although there was support from some groups, the motion did not pass because SPD and KAL/Die Partei opposed general greening due to Weinbrenner’s classicism, and the Greens and CDU postponed the vote until the summer break to wait for the construction and timing windows on the eastern and western edges of the marketplace.
Warum sind Bäume in der Innenstadt wichtig?
Downtown trees are important because they provide shade and cooling and help mitigate the effects of climate change. They also contribute to air purification and improvement of the quality of life.
Warum gab es Bedenken hinsichtlich des Denkmalschutzes?
There were concerns about historic preservation because the Karlsruhe marketplace is a historic site and therefore certain requirements and regulations must be followed. However, it was determined that historic preservation can be implemented with appropriate conditions.
Wird es in Zukunft Bäume auf dem Karlsruher Marktplatz geben?
The FW|FÜR Karlsruhe group will continue to advocate for a greening of the market place and hopes for a positive decision in the coming September. However, it remains to be seen how the other groups will position themselves.
