The apartment building owner stands in the street in Ålesund and looks at the newly painted building he owns. But the expenses were greater than he expected. When he set up scaffolding that took up half the width of the pavement, he had to pay NOK 5,500 in pavement rent to the municipality. Even if it is he who owns the pavement. – We understand that the municipality needs income. We know that they are on the brink of bankruptcy, but I think this was over the line, says Oddbjørn Søvik. It was Bypatrioten who first told the story. Daily price for the pavement This is how it looked when the building was to be renovated. The scaffolding took up half the pavement. Photo: private Ålesund municipality introduced pavement rental fees after several other Norwegian cities have done the same. Steven Bendal, divisional engineer in Ålesund municipality, says that the pavement is regulated as a public traffic area. – When people feel that they have to rent their own pavement, I can understand that it is perceived as unreasonable. But this is a price for banding the area, says Bendal. This means that you have to pay a sum per square meter that is closed every day that the work takes place. The aim is that the period with closed pavements should be as short as possible. Oddbjørn Søvik thinks it is strange that the municipality demands a fee, when he himself owns the pavement. Photo: Hans-Olav Landsverk / news Responsible for snow removal Søvik believes that the pavement was fully usable for pedestrians during the period he had scaffolding. Both people with prams and wheelchairs made it past. He has owned urban gardens in Ålesund since the 80s and has never had to pay for the pavement during maintenance work before. – After all, I own the pavement and must both keep it clean and clear snow. It is special that I have to pay the municipality without them giving anything back, says Søvik. The building he owned together with his sons was rebuilt after the fire in 1904 and is built in the distinctive Art Nouveau style. These houses are particularly protected in Ålesund and need much more frequent maintenance than other buildings. As a result, he often has to use scaffolding. – It costs a lot to maintain houses like these. We have done a lot of extensive work with new windows and roofs according to the regulations, says Søvik. He believes the municipality should have removed the tax.
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Oddbjørn Søvik must pay a fee on his own pavement in Ålesund – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
