Newsletter July 2018

Dear Real Estate friends,

Have you ever heard of ISOS? The “Federal Inventory of Sites of National Importance in Switzerland” was drawn up in secret at federal level. No owner has ever had the opportunity to determine the classification of their property or neighborhood. Until now, it was also believed that ISOS only applied to federal buildings. In the meantime, however, at least two court rulings have been made public that consider the application of ISOS to be of overriding interest for private buildings as well and subordinate building applications to this inventory.

A few days ago, Zurich City Council also entered into a momentous horse-trading deal with the Heritage Society. Without consulting the people or parliament, it agreed to take ISOS into account in the design of the BZO in future. Not even the bourgeois members of parliament got upset; no newspaper took it up critically. According to a newspaper report, the homeowners’ association is “very relieved” that the BZO from 2014 will now be introduced in November 2018. The consequences of this deal will have a fundamental impact on urban development and construction in the city, particularly with regard to the planned densification.

Best real estate regards
Claude Ginesta

Click here for the newsletter.