The "Rüdersdorf town centre" redevelopment area has been subject to special urban development legislation for 25 years. Subsidies were channelled into public and private measures in the area and no development charges were levied for the road construction measures. At the end of the overall measure, however, the property owners are required to pay the so-called equalisation amount as an expression of the redevelopment-related increase in the value of a property. According to the Building Code, the municipality is obliged to involve the owners accordingly and must provide evidence of the income to the state of Brandenburg.
Since a municipal council resolution in 2008, numerous owners have already paid off the equalisation amount early. By January 2017, 80 per cent of the payments had already been made. This income could be used in the redevelopment area in the same way as subsidies.
As the last allocation of funding took place in the 2014 financial year, the municipality had previously assumed that the overall measure would be completed in 2017. Following previous discussions, the state of Brandenburg is now providing 150,000 euros (federal/state/municipal) for the redevelopment area of the town centre for the last time. The funds are to be used to upgrade the historic colonists' cemetery. An attractive park is to be created behind the church in the mediumterm, taking into account the protection of historical monuments.
The additional funding and the associated postponement of the completion of the overall measure allows property owners to pay off the equalisation amounts early until the end of 2017. Until then, the standard land values from 2007 will serve as the basis for their calculation, and there is still the option of paying in instalments.
With the cancellation of the redevelopment statutes, the municipality is obliged to collect the outstanding payments by notice. In this context, the standard land values must be redetermined for each property by means of an appraisal. It cannot be ruled out that the general economic development of land prices will also be reflected in higher equalisation amounts. Those who have voluntarily redeemed early can no longer be required to pay.
Property owners with questions on the subject of equalisation contributions can contact Sabine Löser (Building Planning Department of the municipality of Rüdersdorf bei Berlin, Tel. 033638 / 85208) or Dr Uwe Schieferdecker from the redevelopment agency BSG Brandenburgische Stadterneuerungsgesellschaft mbH (0331/27168-19). Anyone who would still like to benefit from the possibility of early redemption of the equalisation amounts should send an informal declaration of willingness to do so to the municipality of Rüdersdorf bei Berlin, Sabine Löser, Hans-Striegelski-Str. 5, 15562 Rüdersdorf bei Berlin (also by e-mail to sabine.loeser@ruedersdorf.de).