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Construction project
15 voices make a difference: Ebikon residents say yes to Sagenmatt – “great relief” on city council
The outcome of Sagenmatt’s development plan is extremely tight. However, it is clear that Ebikon voters reject the budget and thus the planned tax increase.
Sagenmatt area in Ebikon: view from Luzernerstrasse
Ebikon residents no longer want to pay taxes next year. On Sunday you said no to the 2021 budget and therefore to a tax increase from 1.8 to 2 units with 2121 negative votes to 1650 votes in favor. That means a 56 percent non-voting turnout, as the Ebikon Municipality writes on its website. The estimate foresees an expenditure of 113.3 million francs, minus 2.8 million francs. Of the political parties, only the SVP was in favor of a no.
Voters narrowly accepted the development plan and the Sagenmatt subzone plan change, with 1,917 votes in favor and 1902 against. That means just 15 votes difference and a 50.2 percent vote share. The turnout was 45 percent for Ebikon.
Building supervisor Hans Peter Bienz (independent) spoke at the press conference of a “great relief” and said: “The adjusted result shows that the people of Ebikon highly value high-quality and quantitatively moderate development.” Then looking at the result, he added:
“We are accepting the fears of the population about future construction projects.”
Bienz assumes that the result would have been much more positive without the errors of the first communal council message.
On the site of the former Amag car center on Luzernerstrasse in Ebikon, Moyreal Immobilien AG wants to create a new neighborhood with 241 rental and owner-occupied apartments, as well as work and service areas.
Visualization: Nightnurse Image AG
IG Bauen was the only one who opposed the project. “We are very surprised by the result of the vote, it is a totally coincident result,” says Bernadette Kurmann from IG, adding:
“We were rejected as a small splinter group and yet half of Ebikon followed our arguments.”
It shows that the city council has lost a lot of confidence through non-transparent communication and the quick setting of the new voting date. According to Kurmann, the IG is considering a complaint about voting rights due to the adjusted result to achieve a recount.
Of the political parties, only the CVP, FDP and GLP were in favor in the second attempt. The Greens, SP and SVP had decided to allow votes. “The fact that the local council says it is a successful outcome and that the population is behind the project is extremely problematic when you consider that half of Ebikon residents said no,” said SP President Thomas Aregger. For him, the result shows once again that the City Council has little confidence in the population. GLP President Sandor Horvath is “grateful” that the Ebikoners approved the Sagenmatt, “but the process did not go well, especially regarding the first message, we agree with the IG.” The executive had to communicate more carefully on construction matters.
Big projects have a hard time at Ebikon
According to Peter Noser, the Greens might have lived with a no: “But we definitely see the project as an opportunity for Ebikon, even if it’s a little big.” CVP Co-Chair Patrick Gunz also touched on size:
“Based on the very close result, the people of Ebikon can only be inspired by cautious growth, and therefore the city council should pay more attention to the size of projects in the future.”
FDP President René Friedrich commented similarly: “The 2019 No to Weichle and now the strict Yes to Sagenmatt show that you have to be careful with large-scale projects in Ebikon.” According to SVP board member Christian Huber, the fact that the vote had to be rescheduled “certainly didn’t make more people say yes.” I was happy, now I’m moving forward.
Apartments should be ready for occupancy in the summer of 2024
According to a press release, client Moyreal is “pleased” to note the adjusted result. You will implement development “quickly”. The earliest possible move-in date for the 241 apartments is around the summer of 2024.
The Sagenmatt vote should have taken place in September. But the governing council suspended him a few days before the polls for “serious” deficiencies in the municipal council’s message. Everything was triggered by a voting rights complaint from the opponents of the project. The governing council did not accept because it was too late, but made its decision under the supervisory law.
The other two transactions were indisputable: the general revision of the regulations on urban drainage was approved with 85 percent of votes in favor, with even 87 percent of votes in favor, the general revision of the regulations on supply was approved of water.
