Drohobych is carrying out a phased programme to bring order to garage structures located on municipally owned land. The city council stresses that all actions are being taken within the framework of current legislation, to ensure the efficient use of municipal plots and compliance with public realm regulations.
One of the key sites is the grounds of the Ivan Boberskyi Youth Sports School. For an extended period, the community leadership held meetings with the owners of garages situated on the sports school’s territory. They were offered alternative locations to which the structures could be moved, as the area next to the sports school is needed for the creation of a car park. Some owners agreed and have already relocated their garages to other sites, while others refused, so the matter had to be resolved in court.
According to Drohobych City Council, the legal department has won three court cases concerning the compulsory dismantling of garages near the Ivan Boberskyi Youth Sports School. In execution of these rulings, two garages have already been dismantled and a third is currently being taken down. Several other owners have removed their structures voluntarily. At the same time, the courts are considering cases relating to two other illegally installed garages.
The head of the legal department, Vlas Kramar, recalled that the executive committee has approved the Procedure for the dismantling of temporary structures, small architectural forms and temporary constructions, and that all actions are being carried out in line with this document. The dismantling of all garages on the sports school’s grounds is expected to be completed in the near future, as the growing sports infrastructure is only increasing the demand for additional parking spaces.
In parallel, the city authorities are addressing the issue of illegally installed garages on Pivdenna Street. The necessary legal procedures and pre-trial investigation are currently under way there.
Mayor Taras Kuchma emphasises that the approach to the use of municipal land must be the same for all residents.
We are consistently bringing order to the use of municipal property. The rules must be the same for everyone, and the community’s municipal land must be used lawfully and efficiently. Where it is possible to bring documentation into line with legal requirements, owners must do so. If structures have been installed without permission or there are no legal grounds for their placement, they must be dismantled. This will free up space for the development of urban infrastructure and the implementation of projects that are important for the community,” the mayor, Taras Kuchma, stresses.
For the further rationalisation of garages, the mayor has instructed the community property department to carry out a comprehensive review of the availability of permitting documentation for all garages located on municipal plots. In cases where owners fail to regularise their paperwork, usage or lease agreements for such facilities will not be renewed.