Graz–Jul. 9, 2025

This evening I went to a meeting about some development planning in the blocks just north of where I am living. The presentation was all in German. I followed one of the speakers about 70%, but the other one was speaking so fast I only caught 30% of what he was saying.

I had looked at the planning documents, and I didn’t see what changes were being made. After the presentation and the question & answer session, I asked the moderator (who was not answering technical questions) about this. He told me there are only two houses (at the corner of Rochelgasse and Vinzenzgasse) who wanted to make some changes, but this required the city to develop a plan for the area. All of the trees that you see in the following map will be put in as the older buildings go away (either through disuse, being torn down, or if they are lost in a fire).

A large part of the plan for the area involves how much density you can have for residential and business; there’s a formula for it, but I won’t bore you with the details.

None of this will particularly affect me; I’m on Janzgasse, which is at the lower left of the diagram and outside the development area.

The only real complaint from any of the attendees was from one person who wanted trees put on the streets to make the area cooler. The problem is that you can’t put them on Georgigasse; that’s where the streetcar comes through and you can’t take up what would be street area there. If you put trees on Rochelgasse and Lilienthalgasse, you take away parking places, which are at a premium.

In any event, it was interesting to attend the meeting.