Business & environmental zoning

In the municipality of Wassenaar (as in all municipalities) there are companies and business activities in the vicinity of sensitive functions, such as housing. The distance between these functions is also called environmental zoning. Wassenaar wants good environmental zoning, in which environmentally sensitive and environmentally threatening functions are sufficiently spatially separated. This contributes to the preservation and strengthening of the main spatial structure and the image of a green and safe residential village.

Procedure for BOPA submission/amendment of environmental plan

Because the municipality of Wassenaar attaches great importance to a healthy and safe living environment, the new style Environmental Zoning Manual (VNG, 2019) has been used since the Omgevingswet came into force. However, the consequences of this new manual are not yet sufficiently clear, for health and safety, the balanced allocation of functions to locations (ETFAL) and for a good balance between both protecting and utilizing the physical living environment. 

In order to prevent undesirable consequences, the Municipality of Wassenaar has adopted, as an additional frame of reference, the tables with guide distances from the Handreiking Bedrijven en Milieuzonering (VNG, 2009). These guideline distances must be tested when there is an out-of-plan environmental plan activity (BOPA) or an amendment of the (temporary) environmental plan. If the application of the newer guideline results in a considerably smaller (i.e. less strict) distance between an activity and a sensitive function than the application of the guideline distances from the 2009 tables, then when applying the 2019 guidelines, it will have to be justified how a balanced allocation of functions to locations can still be created. 

The exact rules surrounding environmental zoning in Wassenaar are articulated in the note and appendices below.