Zarkert Zoning changes for 2016

Our house parcel is zoned Zarket. Septic tanks**, or the better and modern self contained sewage treatment devices, are already allowed in most cases. One just has to a bit of paperwork to get it approved on a Zarket parcel. I know, because we did the paperwork and put one in.

The change does not necessarily mean one can build a large house. The change in designation currently means that, for example, one is not required, as an example in our case, to have either fruit orchards or wine on the property. In other words, the property owner can rip out all their wine and put in a lawn.

However, it is hidden in the law that one "could" eventually build a huge house. And this one small change in the law goes against decades of regional land use planning. I remember how it was in Los Angeles when the hill sides where I lived were graded and leveled to build McMansions in what were till then small home residential neighborhoods.

I moved here because I did not want to again live in a place that built property to property line mansion sized houses. I am very disappointed by this law change. I live here year round. Most of those that "like" this law want to have a huge weekend house they may visit a few day out of the year. But I have to live with their eyesore year round. I am here long term, the house is not a fiscal investment to me. So I am not interested in the "resale" value of my property. But a rise in property value means a rise in property taxes. It is annoying.

** Septic tanks are simple and reliable, but if installed properly and legally they usually need to be constantly visited by the tank truck to have them pumped out in Hungary. Often, but it varies by design and local ordinance, only the self contained treatment units allow the waste water from the tank to enter the soil without special designs, which then use a lot of land. Unfortunately, most septic tanks here probably had illegal water outlets because calling the truck to empty the tank is expensive.

I do see your point.
I was thinking of someone who posted here about trying to resale their property and hitting a stone wall with the Zarket zoning on their land.
I also grew up on S Cal. and the hills in the valley we lived in now have mansions and the place looks overcrowded.
Most all the old classic western movies of the 1930's onward were filmed in the hills of our valley, it used to be a charming place to live.
Hate to see the countryside of Hungary turn into a bedroom community with smog etc.
See your point, just thought for some people it might be worth looking into never thought about the destruction of the land.

And I see your point.

I am actually not really a NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) type. I am an entrepreneur. Investment is okay with me. including land investment.

But here in Hungary, like most things, it is complicated.

There are a number of local and national regulations regarding building. And to that there is a bit of an "oddity" regarding history and current events.

A decade ago, it was not uncommon for Germans to come here, start a "KFT", and build large (illegal) houses and pay the rather pathetic "fine" for their transgression. Today, many of these buildings stand empty and unused in and around our village. I suspect a lot where built to simply launder money.

There was a lull, of sorts, when the Germans moved to the Mediterranean coast and stopped building so much in Hungary.

But then the "new rich" in Hungary got interested in having a "villa by the Balaton". And again many large, "out side the legal limits" houses again started to appear on what was designated "Zarket".

How odd, in my way of thinking, that suddenly the government now wants to allow land owners <cough>or government oligarchs</cough> that built large <cough>maybe illegal</cough> houses or "renovations"  to suddenly "legalize" their land use.

Very odd indeed, hu?