When Stefanie Meier enters her office at 9 o'clock that morning, she is greeted by a flashing telephone. She sits down at her desk in a flurry and first switches on the computer so that it can boot up while she looks at the caller list. A planning office from Braunschweig, which is implementing a small housing project, called yesterday at 6:51 p.m., also a number she doesn't recognize. Now the computer has also booted up: 12 unread emails since Meier went home from work at 4:30 p.m. yesterday. There is also an email from the Braunschweig office. It asks for the results of a traffic study in order to meet the concerns of a citizens' initiative and to move the planning forward. For another area, the species protection report is available. Meier looks already once fast into the conclusion: No protected animals were found.
Meier had asked an investor how many oak trees are on the area he wants to build on. The answer, which she received by e-mail, she would like to check again as a precaution. "There I drive in the next days once past, in order to get me even an impression, how many trees worth protecting in which arrangement stand there, whether we can integrate them into the new development or whether we cut them down and provide elsewhere for them compensation." In another e-mail, a local council member asks to see an expert opinion. She is meeting with local council representatives in the afternoon anyway to discuss the feasibility of residents* demands for this housing project. In addition, Meier was sent three minutes of meetings that have taken place in recent days. "I'll have to look through those thoroughly later. After all, we don't want agreements to be misinterpreted by someone involved, causing a project to go in the wrong direction," Meier explains. "We sit in a lot of consultations. As urban planners*, we coordinate many different concerns to find a good solution."
In the early planning phases, when environmental, noise and pollution assessments are used to determine the suitability of the area, the environmental agency and external experts are particularly in demand. In order to determine exactly what kind of buildings should be developed on the site, the city's strategy department, as well as the school, daycare and social services departments, for example, provide information on what types of housing and facilities would be appropriate in the area. Cooperation with traffic planners, drainage companies and energy providers ensures efficient development. In the further planning process, the Parks Department and the Real Estate and Facility Management Division are closely involved.
Of course, the wishes expressed by politicians and citizens must be taken into account at all stages. As a rule, the city of Wolfsburg does not implement projects itself, but creates the building law and only defines the framework of what is possible. The planners then take the steps from the development of a concept to concrete implementation together with an investor. Last but not least, Meier and her colleagues have to work with the environmental agency to find areas where ecological compensation can be created for the development of an area.
"The arrangements often involve going from the big picture to the smallest detail. In order to be able to give the many people looking for housing a new home soon, we try to move the projects forward as quickly as possible. At the same time, however, we also aim to find good long-term concepts for an area and maintain Wolfsburg's "green city" principle. In the case of inner-city brownfield sites under 20,000 square meters, for example, we are not obliged to create ecological compensation for buildings. We try to do that anyway. Then there are the many legal regulations that have to be complied with," Meier explains. "It's often difficult to please everyone."
A new e-mail pops up on Meier's PC screen. The investor of one of her biggest projects has sent a draft for the presentation that they would like to use to jointly present the plans to the local councils of the affected districts that evening and put them to the vote. Since the urban planner took up her job with the city of Wolfsburg in 2013, she has been involved in planning this new urban quarter. With more than 1,000 residential units, it is to make a significant contribution to the housing offensive. Meier is also responsible for all planning in another city district, which currently has five more residential sites, as well as for the possible construction of other facilities such as schools, sports facilities or refugee homes.
The tasks of an urban planner
- Together with other involved areas of the city administration, with investors and external experts, find suitable plans for the use of an area
- Taking into account the concerns of other authorities, politicians, citizens and future residents.
- Giving politicians and citizens an insight into the plans and being available to them for questions - on site in our own office, at committee meetings and information events, by telephone and by e-mail.
She used to work for a private planning office. "In fact, that was a bit more relaxed because I only had to take care of a manageable area. Now here I coordinate a lot of planning and have to keep track of everything," Meier smiles. "I enjoy that variety in the job." To be there for her child, Meier works part-time, 30 hours a week. She doesn't always get by with that. Today, too, she will be working overtime.
The local council meeting doesn't start until 5 p.m. "But I don't mind that. I'll then take a longer lunch break, and if everything goes well, the project can finally be implemented soon," says Meier. "We can now present the politicians with detailed plans and proposals for binding agreements after two and a half years with several urban planning competitions, after countless consultations and adjustments," she says happily.
"If the local councils give a positive recommendation tonight, I hope that the building committee as well as the city council will also agree. Then the development can begin in two or three months, and housing construction just under a year later." Another email arrives. Her boss has already looked at the presentation for the evening and has a few change requests. Time to look over the investor's design thoroughly. In the evening, the council chamber gradually fills up with politicians and employees of the administration. Two journalists from the local newspapers are there.
There are about 15 citizens in the auditorium - not many, considering the size and importance of the project. Meier has experienced local council meetings on much smaller projects, where she faced nearly 100 often agitated citizens and it was her job to explain the city administration's considerations to them. Today, the investor and her superiors will present the plans. She herself is only following the meeting from the sidelines. Nevertheless, Meier cannot deny that she is a little tense today.
After the opening of the meeting, her boss introduces the topic of the evening and emphasizes the importance as well as the special nature of the project. It is the first major residential project in Wolfsburg to be developed together with an investor. To ensure that everyone can be sure that everything will actually be implemented as discussed, in addition to the development plan there is a detailed urban development contract, a development contract and a binding design manual for the investors who will build there. Compliance is to be monitored via a design advisory board with representatives from the political arena. The investor and Meier's boss then present the concrete plans. Even after several special meetings on the housing project, the politicians still have a few questions: about the number of parking spaces planned for cars and bicycles, about connections for electric vehicles, about possible noise pollution, about the environmental and biodiversity protection report, about social housing and about traffic connections. One politician refers to a specific paragraph in the contract that regulates how often the green spaces must be mowed. The investor and Meier's supervisor answer patiently.
Some politicians expressly praise the planners' work. For a brief moment, a smile flits across Meier's face. Then she continues to listen intently. At around 7:20 p.m., the local councilors finally vote. Because they still see unanswered questions, they don't want to make a decision yet, but see the meeting much more as a first reading of the proposal. With this result, a long working day comes to an end. Although it has happened before that their projects were not waved through at the first presentation, Meier cannot completely push aside the disappointment. "If the opinion in the council bodies is similar, it will probably take at least a quarter of a year longer before the first construction work can begin," she estimates. "But we will also find solutions for the questions raised by the politicians*."