Three innovative city planning projects aimed at providing a
quick solution of the Bnei Brak housing shortage and
acceleration of the usual bureaucratic procedures have been
presented by the Municipal Committee for Planning and
Construction headed by Mayor Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz. The
plan covers the addition of elevators to existing buildings,
additions to a building's built-up areas, the number of
apartments per building and the basement areas.
The plan for elevators, prepared a few months ago, is
intended for residential buildings whose construction had
been completed prior to approval of the plan and have no
elevators at present.
According to the proposal, the Local Committee for Planning
and Construction will be authorized to approve elevator
shafts that are outside the building lines specified in the
approved plans for that particular building.
This plan includes various requirements: the proposed
elevator must be positioned either at the rear of the
building or to one side; the size must be within the plan
specifications; the elevator shaft may include only door
openings for the elevator; the shaft will be built on the
apartment's communal property and alternate parking spaces
will be allotted in the case where the new elevator shaft
takes the place of existing places.
Additional requirements were set down, such as the drafting
of an architectural plan and of engineering plans for the
elevator shaft approved by a qualified building engineer.
The application must include the written consent of two-
thirds of the apartment owners in the building. In addition,
the elevator must meet the Israel Standards Institute
specifications for prevention of noise and vibration.
An additional plan relates to the creation of uniformity in
the number of dwelling units on various stories of
residential buildings without allocation of additional
building areas. The plan will allow the Local Committee for
Planning and Construction to approve addition of a single
dwelling unit to each residential building, when the goal is
to standardize the number of units on each floor.
The third plan deals with the subject of the underground or
lower floors of buildings throughout the city. The need for
such a plan arose from the fact that City Building Plan
number 105B was approved many years ago, when many fewer
parking places were needed.
According to the new plan, the boundaries of the cellar on
most sides must be one meter from the front of the plot,
with a strip remaining for infrastructure and rain drainage.
The sides and back of the basement can be up to the
boundaries of the lot. The Municipal Engineer in the
residential area will be authorized to demand exceptions to
these rules.
According to the plan, the conditions for a building permit
also include a plan to develop the courtyard area, including
fences, lighting, garden, irrigation, parking and other
details. The Municipal Spokesman and Secretary added that
the three programs are now in the presentation stage only,
and in no way are to be considered approved or currently
valid.
The fourth plan, however, the Bnei Brak Comprehensive Plan
Number 105/D/2 dealing with enlargement of roof areas has
received final approval. Building plans requests according
to this plan may be presented to the Local Committee for
Planning and Construction.
According to this plan, permits will be granted to owners of
top floor apartments to construct rooftop rooms and
pergolas. The buildup area of a rooftop room may not exceed
forty square meters (only 23 meters had been previously
allowed).Construction of rooftop rooms will not be permitted
atop partial floors, rooftop apartments, one-story buildings
or single-family homes.
Permits for rooftop construction will be granted to the
owner of the top apartment upon approval of a majority of
apartment owners in the building, in the case where the roof
is considered attached to said apartment, as recorded in the
Israel Lands Registry records. Similarly, it may be granted
if three-fourths of the apartment owners agree when the roof
is part of the building's common property.
