(haipo) - A plot of land in the Bat Galim neighborhood in Haifa intended for residential use, was surrounded by a fence and converted to use as a parking lot for vehicles. The Haifa municipality says that this was done without a legal business license and without the required approvals from the fire services and the Israel Police. The chairman of the Bat Galim neighborhood committee turned to the deputy mayor and chairman of the planning and construction committee - attorney Sharit Golan Steinberg, who investigated the complaint. Later, the Haifa municipality turned to the land owners, the KTV company, and the works were stopped.
A parking lot serving the Rambam Hospital during wartime
The KTV company explained that the long-term planning of the land remains as planned - the establishment of a residential project. However, according to them, following the war, senior officials from the Rambam Hospital and the municipality approached them, requesting that they assist in finding a temporary solution for the parking lot, which would serve the hospital, since the existing parking lot had been converted into a protected space. The company stated that out of a sense of national responsibility and a desire to contribute to the war effort, the the land for this use immediately and without compensation.
More was delivered From the KTV Lahi Fa notebook:
"The Bat Galim neighborhood and the city of Haifa are especially dear to us. We see ourselves as an integral part of the local community and we do not operate only from an economic point of view, but from a deep sense of responsibility towards the future of the area and the quality of life of its residents. We are not standard real estate developers; We live the city and the neighborhood and are partners in ensuring a prosperous future for them.
Regarding the claims regarding the use of the area in question, it is important for us to clarify that the long-term planning for the land is intended to promote a high-quality residential project that will fit optimally into the neighborhood. At the same time, at the outbreak of the Iron Swords War, senior officials from Rambam Hospital and the municipality approached us with a request to help find a temporary solution for the parking lot that would serve the hospital, in light of the urgent need to allocate the existing parking lot in favor of a protected space. Out of a sense of national responsibility and commitment to the war effort, We made the area available for this use immediately and without any consideration.
In addition, recently, we received a request from parties related to the Port of Haifa to assist in allocating space for a temporary parking lot, due to constraints caused by the security situation, which disrupted the activities of the Port of Eilat and directly affected the transportation of vehicles. In this case too, we chose to act out of commitment to the war effort and the national need, placing the common good above any private interest.
In the past decades, the area in question was used as an unsupervised parking lot, without fencing and without safety measures, which created a significant safety hazard. Upon purchasing the area, we found ourselves forced to fence it in order to prevent risks and maintain public safety, as part of our responsibility as owners.
Regarding the claims regarding construction violations, it is important to note that a permit is not required for the construction of a fence within a residential plot. In addition, the planning and construction law in its current form allows the issuance of permits for very long periods of time, which do not respond to emergency and war situations. In these situations, and when it comes to light works that do not constitute a safety hazard, it is customary to act while approving the permits at the same time. Even in this case, we are working to obtain permits legally, as we have always done, while ensuring transparency and compliance with the law.
We will continue to act transparently and in full cooperation with all the relevant parties for the good of the city and its residents, and we will always be committed to act from the values of community responsibility and good citizenship."
Haifa Municipality gave a response to Haifa:
"These are lots where the business activity of storing new vehicles is conducted, in the heart of a residential neighborhood, without a valid business license and without the required approvals from the fire services and the Israel Police. Therefore, yesterday (Sunday 24/11/24) the municipality of Haifa submitted urgent applications for a cease-and-desist order and clearing the lots and yesterday the court decisions were given, according to which the respondents must submit their position to the court by tomorrow (Wednesday, 27/11/24)".
The lot is on the other side of Bat Galim and in order to get to Rambam you need a charter, so the excuses and the stories and the very fact that the port's vehicles are immediately stored there are out of your reach...
Parking lots are just as important as buildings. In particular, when it is near the Rambam Hospital. Adding a parking lot in the vicinity has the effect of reducing the 40 NIS fee charged by the Quiet Beach parking lot.
It is clear that this is an attempt by the car importers. Good morning
The lies of ktv will not be believed. It is clear that this is an attempt by car importers to turn the lot into a storage lot instead of at the port.
In any other country, a developer who works like this in the middle of a residential neighborhood to build such a huge parking lot without a permit would immediately be charged with construction violations and fined and arrested.