Citizens' Councilor Ottersberg: Design of the new building area Bodderweg in focus

Citizens' Councilor Ottersberg: Design of the new building area Bodderweg in focus

Commitment of the municipality for citizen participation in Quelkhorn

The municipality of Ottersberg sets a sign of participatory democracy through the introduction of the citizens' council. This is done in a concrete setting that gives citizens the opportunity to actively participate in the design of their living environment. The second citizens' council is particularly devoted to the development of the Bodderweg new area in Quelkhorn.

The focus of the second citizens' council

From September 13th to 14th, 2024, the meeting of the citizens' council takes place, at which 230 inhabitants of Ottersberg are invited. The participants were drawn from the registration register by random procedure. At this citizens' council, recommendations for land use planning in Quelkhorn are to be developed. The goal is to find concrete solutions under the guiding question "interior compression with a sense of proportion and imagination".

integration of citizens: a new tradition

The first citizens' council was launched two years ago to discuss comprehensive questions about the quality of life in Ottersberg. However, the current citizens' council focuses on the specific challenge of living space development. Mayor Tim Willy Weber emphasizes that it is a "concrete municipal challenge". Questions about the design of the development, traffic management and necessary infrastructures are put to the fore.

The process of citizen participation

The special thing about the citizens' council is that the participants approach the topics without personal or political prejudices. This impartiality is described as "incorruptible" and promotes the question of how the community can be designed together. Erika Janzon of the Greens described the Citizens' Council as a positive step in the revitalization of political culture and democracy in Ottersberg.

expectations and outlook

The organizers expect a lively participation of around 25 citizens who bring their life realities and receive valuable information by workshops with experts. These workshops are accompanied by experts such as building managers and investors who deliver their input and perspectives on the project. The results of the Citizens' Council are to be presented in a public forum on October 10th to support community policy in decision -making.

Through these measures, the municipality of Ottersberg shows that it takes the perspectives of its citizens seriously and that citizen participation should be firmly anchored as a principle in municipal planning. This could be a positive trend for future projects in the region, in which the voices of the citizens belong more and integrated into political decisions.