Podgorica: They want the building in a place where there are valuable trees

The Office of the Chief City Architect of the Capital City refused to approve the conceptual solution for the investment on the green area, in Beogradska Street, in the center of Podgorica, in the part of the city behind the "Zija" ("Ziya") hotel.

This, among other things, is stated in the decision of the architect Duška Mačić on the request for consent submitted by the company "Eurozox" from Danilovgrad.

"Request No. UP I 30-332/23-272 dated September 14, 2023, of the applicant 'Eurozox' doo Danilovgrad, for approval of the conceptual design of a residential building on part of the urban plot no. UP 18, zone A, consisting of cadastral parcels 2322/3, 2322/4 and part of cat. plot no. 2322/1 KO Podgorica II, in the scope of the DUP 'Nova varoš 2' (Official Gazette of Montenegro - no. 32/18), in terms of compliance with the guidelines for the design and materialization of the building and basic urban planning parameters," the decision reads.

The Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property did not respond to "Vijesti" whether "Eurozox" complained about the city's decision to the Chief State Architect.

In the part of the explanation of the Office of the Chief City Architect of the Capital City of Podgorica, it was stated that, after analyzing the submitted documentation, that Office in November of last year directed the investor to amend the conceptual design, when, among other things, it was indicated that the conceptual design should be supplemented with an adequate elaboration taxation of existing greenery.

The investor has submitted an amended conceptual solution and an Elaborate on the taxation of the existing dendroflora "by which we register more vital trees on the urban plot in question, which must be preserved and cannot be transplanted".

"The study determined protective zones of valuable trees, in accordance with which it is necessary to plan the disposition of the building, respecting the guidelines from the planning document. The proposed disposition of the building ignores the protection zones specified in the Elaboration," the Office of the Chief City Architect pointed out in a new notification, after which the opportunity was once again left to comment on these allegations.

From that Service, as they state, on April 17, they requested an expert opinion from the processor of the Elaborate on taxation of the existing dendroflora, whether valuable trees were recorded on UP 18, zone A, could be safely transplanted and thus comply with the planning directive on the mandatory preservation of the found valuable greenery .

"In connection with the above, in the answer of April 22, 2024, the processors stated that it is not possible to transplant valuable trees of the 'B' category", they state in the explanation of the decision.

As they add, the investor submitted an amended conceptual solution on May 9, "however, the chief city architect's remarks regarding the determination of the construction zone in accordance with the Elaborate on taxation of the existing dendroflora were still not acted upon."

"In response to the remark about the neglect of the protection zones of valuable greenery when locating the building within the site, the investor declares that it is not possible to keep the three trees, which are listed as vital without the possibility of transplanting, because the building around them cannot be functionally organized," says the chief city architect. parts of the investor's statement.

It is added that the investor, as compensation for the damage to the cut trees, offered to plant more trees of high value in any other location.

"Furthermore, they state that they believe that it is better to develop the city in a planned manner, in accordance with the adopted and valid planning documentation, and to enrich the vegetation fund in places where green and park areas are planned, with additional valorization of those micro-locations, instead of blocking construction in places where construction is planned and foreseen", states the office of the chief city architect.

They add that the planning document on the urban plot in question foresees the construction of the building, but also that the plan "clearly prescribes the conditions under which the buildings will be built, among other things, and the way of treating the existing valuable greenery.

"The same was clearly pointed out to the investor in the previously submitted acts... dated November 8, 2023 and March 21, 2024," the explanation reads.

In response to earlier comments, the investor submitted the consent of the owner of plot 2322/6 KO Podgorica for use in the calculation of the allowed coefficients on UP 18, zone A, that the consent was certified by a notary and that it will be entered as a note in the real estate deed, with the conclusion that thereby realizing another right to build on the land.

With the clarification that such a right can be exercised in the way indicated by the investor, the chief city architect states in the explanation that at the time of the decision, until mid-May, such a note did not exist in the records of the Cadastre Administration.

According to the Administration, plot 2322/6 is owned by the company "Montenegro Assets Management" from Budva, whose founder is "Uniprom" from Nikšić. The last amendment to the real estate certificate was entered on January 19, and it refers to the entry of a mortgage.

Residents of the surrounding buildings previously protested the possibility of a residential building being built in their neighborhood, on a green area.

They announced that they will request that the process of issuing a permit for the construction of that building be suspended, and that the investor, "if necessary, be provided with a replacement plot on which to build or that another way be found."

"We will request that the 'Nova varoš 2' plan be repealed and that it be revised. Of course, for the process to be transparent and for the citizens to be involved not only formally but also essentially".

When Ana Novaković Đurović was at the head of the relevant department, the government made a decision on the drafting of amendments to the DUP "Nova varoš 2" in Podgorica and the decision to designate the manager of the drafting of amendments and additions to the DUP.

"DUP 'Nova varoš 2' in Podgorica covers a significant part of the slopes of the Gorica hill, which are burdened by the intensive construction of residential and residential-business buildings, and as it is a natural monument, it is necessary to correct the existing planning solution through amendments to this planning document" , the Government announced at the time.

At the protest on December 9 last year, the organizers announced that it was planned to build a building behind the "Zija" hotel, "on the green area and on the former parking lot of 'Montenegro airlines'", on plots 2322/3 and 2322/4, cadastral Municipality of Podgorica II".

"The plot was once owned by 'Zetatrans', and since 2010 it has been owned by the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS). That party recently sold the plot to the contractor, the Eurozox company, for one million euros," said the organizers of the protest at the time.

According to data from cadastral records, the contract between DPS and "Eurozox" for the purchase of those plots was concluded on August 4 last year. The day before, the Secretariat for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development of the Capital City approved the urban-technical conditions, based on the request submitted on July 24 by DPS and Danilo Ratković from that party. The consent was signed by the head of the sector, Zorica Rakčević.