Environment Act
What is the Environment Act?
The Environment Act deals with the space in which we live, work and relax: the physical environment. This new law merges laws and simplifies the rules for much of what you see, smell and hear outside. It allows you to become familiar with the rules and regulations of the various levels of government (municipalities, water boards, provinces and the state) all at once. The law applies to all residents, organizations and businesses.
The Environment Act took effect on Jan. 1, 2024.
What does the Environment Act mean for you?
You will have to deal with the Environment Act if you want to change something in your living environment. For example, if you have plans to renovate your house, organize an event or if you are an entrepreneur and want to build a shed next to your business premises. You are the initiator and must find out whether you need a permit or a notification. You can do that in the new Environment Desk. You may also have to deal with the Environment Act if someone else wants to change something in your living environment. For example, if your neighbors want to build a garage or if a nearby company wants to enlarge its office. You are then a stakeholder.
The animation on the Environment Act provides a brief explanation of the Environment Act.
Until January 1, 2024
Did you obtain or apply for a permit before the introduction of the Environment Act? If the municipality, water board or province has already granted you a permit, it remains valid. You do not have to do anything. If the municipality, water board or province still has to process the application, then in principle this will be done according to the old law. You must ensure that all the necessary documents are submitted on time.
What will change after Jan. 1, 2024?
Here are the most important changes for you:
The Environment Counter is the new counter where you can apply for a permit, submit a notification or provide additional information online as of Jan. 1, 2024.
Your municipality's zoning plans will be transformed into an environmental plan by Jan. 1, 2024. An environmental plan not only contains information about the zoning of a place. It also includes rules for noise, soil - and sometimes things like energy measures and sustainability.
For a permit application, a short procedure is the starting point in the Environment Act. The decision period for a short procedure is 8 weeks from the time all information and documents are received. This decision period can be extended, if necessary. After that, objections and appeals are still possible. If your permit application is complex, your application may fall under an extensive procedure. In that case, the decision period is longer.
When do I need to apply for an Environmental Permit?
Are you planning to build or demolish something? The Environmental Permit page provides information on how to apply for a permit.
You can check the national government website to see if you need a permit.
Films Environment Counter
Infographic
Environmental Vision
A new instrument from the Environment Act is the Environmental Vision. Together with inhabitants, entrepreneurs, representatives of civil society organizations and employees of government and implementing organizations, we are working on this environmental vision of, for and by Zoetermeer.
The Environmental Vision contains the future vision for the physical living environment in Zoetermeer. This is the environment in which we live, work and spend our leisure time.
Why a vision now?
Zoetermeer in 2040 is a city where it is good to live, live and stay. To accommodate everyone who wants to live in Zoetermeer in the future, thousands of new homes are needed that are energy-neutral with zero on the meter.
To make this happen, the municipality must make important choices now. So that Zoetermeer remains a city where people continue to feel at home. The Environmental Vision sets out these choices for the future. We call this Zoetermeer 2040.
For more information:
Environmental Plan
Another new tool from the Environment Act is the Environment Plan. An Environment Plan states what you and what is and is not allowed in your area. This is currently contained in zoning plans, regulations, policy rules and rules of the state. An Environmental Plan therefore contains many rules together. For example, rules about buildings, rules about noise, rules about pitches or rules about how a building or piece of land may be used (for example, as an office or for housing).
Over the next few years, we are working to move from zoning plans, ordinances, policies and rules of the state to 1 Environment Plan for the entire municipality. This must be ready January 1, 2032.
For more information:
In conversation with your environment
As a resident, do you have a good plan for the city or do you have a plan professionally? The Environment Act stipulates that you must always tell the municipality whether you have engaged in conversation with the neighborhood and, if so, how. This is what we call participation. In a number of cases, you are even required to engage in conversation with your neighborhood. This applies, for example, to plans for more than 25 homes. Holding a conversation with your neighborhood is not a matter of course for everyone. With whom should you talk? When? How? What do you do with the results? And what does the municipality do with them? The pointer: In conversation with your environment, helps you with this and gives you tips on how to engage in conversation with the environment and what is needed to do so.
In conversation with your environment
Participation Regulation and Framework Note on Participation
In October 2022, the City Council adopted the new Participation Ordinance 2022 and the Participation Framework Memorandum 2022. These will take effect when the Omgevingswet takes effect on January 1, 2024. The new framework memorandum and ordinance include the Zoetermeer rules for working with the Omgevingswet.
