Municipal Board December 2, 2025
2. joulukuuta 2025 16:00
Controversial building permit granted despite officials' opposition
The Municipal Board granted a building permit for Kerttulankaari 20 for the construction of a detached house and utility building by a vote of 7-4. Officials opposed the project because the building site does not meet the general plan's 2-hectare size requirement and they considered the deviation would hinder area planning. The board majority justified their decision by stating that building permits have been previously granted in the area and the new detached house would not significantly affect land use in the area.
Fees increase in several sectors
Building supervision fees will increase by an average of 5.6 percent, zoning prices by 5-8 percent, and stormwater fees from 32 euros to 34 euros annually. Earth material fees and environmental protection charges will also rise by approximately 5 percent.
Micromobility permits introduced for electric scooters
The municipality will introduce micromobility permits starting January 1, 2026, to regulate the use of rental electric scooters. Permit conditions define no-riding zones, speed limits, and parking regulations.
Major investment projects advance
660,000 euros was transferred from the Hakkari sports hall renovation to the Saikantalon building project due to work schedule progression. The Ruskea-ahde local sports facility plan was approved for a 200,000 euro investment.
Parking program forwarded to municipal executive board
The board proposed that the municipal executive board approve the municipality's first parking program. The program emphasizes structural parking solutions and the development of park-and-ride facilities.
Agenda
The municipality provides a statement on the regional waste management board's proposal for new waste fees starting from the beginning of 2026. This concerns fees that the municipality charges companies and organizations in situations where they cannot find suitable waste management services in the market and request assistance from the municipality. These tariffs thus concern the municipality's secondary waste management responsibility, which only applies when no other service is available. The fees must cover the costs arising from organizing the services, and they may not be compensated by ordinary residents' waste fees.
The Community Planning Committee approved the municipality's first parking program, which guides the planning of parking spaces as part of zoning and construction. The program focuses particularly on the development of the municipal center and Sääksjärvi areas, where the transition is being made from surface parking to parking halls and park-and-ride facilities at the train station are being improved. The goal is to support the use of public transport, densify urban structure, and serve the needs of both residents and businesses. The program also includes plans for parking pricing, enforcement, and time restrictions.
The Community Board raised planning fees due to the general increase in cost levels. Hourly rates will increase by 9-17 percent, i.e., by ten euros, and other planning project prices and fees will increase by 5-8 percent. The new prices will take effect on January 1, 2026, and they will affect, for example, the costs of detailed plans and plan amendments initiated by landowners. The increase will secure funding for planning services and support the municipality's finances.
The Community Services Board approved an increase in the environmental protection authority fee schedule by an average of 5.2 percent starting from 1.1.2026. The increase is due to the general rise in cost levels and the need to align fees with actual processing costs. New fee bases were also added to the schedule, such as processing fees for off-road vehicle and waterway permits. The changes concern various fees for permit, registration, notification, and supervision matters.
The Community Board approved the municipality's environmental protection supervision plan for the years 2026-2028, which will guide the supervision by environmental authorities for the next three years. The plan pays special attention to groundwater protection - oil tanks will be inspected based on their age and location, and environmental risks at old service stations will be monitored more closely. In addition, supervision will focus on properties that have not connected to the wastewater sewer and are located in groundwater or waterfront areas. The new Water Services Act will bring changes to connection obligations from the beginning of 2026.
Kokouksen laillisuus ja päätösvaltaisuus
The municipality's earth materials fee schedule will increase by an average of 5.3 percent due to the general rise in cost levels. The fee schedule applies to the review and supervision of earth materials extraction plans. The new fees will come into effect starting January 1, 2026. The fee increase affects those who apply for permits for earth materials extraction.
The Community Board approved the service plan revision, which is based on the amended budget approved by the municipal council in November. The revision brings a total of 745,000 euros in additional revenue for community services, consisting of waste subsidies (45,000€), timber sales revenue (100,000€), and property sale proceeds (600,000€). Additionally, 316,000 euros in state subsidies will be received for investments for the basic renovation of Hakkari sports hall. The decision was approved unanimously and enables the planned projects to proceed in accordance with the revised budget.
The Community Board rejected the application for constructing a single-story detached house and utility building at Kerttulankaari 20. The applicant wanted to build on a plot of approximately 2,400 square meters in an area requiring special planning permission, but the board determined that the conditions for siting or deviation were not met. Neighbors had no objections to the matter, and the environmental protection authority considered the project feasible subject to conditions regarding noise protection and water supply connection.
The Community Board transferred 660,000 euros from the renovation of Hakkari sports hall to the Saikantalo construction project for the year 2025. The reason is that the sports hall work is progressing slower than planned, while the Saikantalo construction work is completing faster and requires more payments this year. Next year the money will be transferred back in the other direction, so the total budgets of the projects remain unchanged. Both projects are proceeding as planned, only the timing of payments is changing.
The Community Development Director informed the committee about current affairs, including the municipality's financial situation and the planned construction of a prison in Lempäälä. Additionally, the committee's self-assessment survey and changes to the rental terms for Lempoisten and Rantala saunas for next year were discussed. The matters were noted for information without separate decisions.
The Parliamentary Ombudsman is investigating a complaint about the municipality of Lempäälä's procedure in which the building design tasks for detached houses in the Saikka housing fair area have been classified as demanding. The complainant suspects that classifying all building projects in the area as demanding is unlawful and violates the constitutional freedom of enterprise. The municipality has responded that the policy was established before construction began in the area and was based on the area's visible location near Ideapark and the requirements of the housing fair. The matter was already addressed in 2024 when the inquiry was responded to via email, and no formal decision needed to be made.
The board took note of decisions made by officials from November 6-26. The decisions concern community development matters, such as building permits and zoning. The board did not take any of the decisions for reconsideration, so they remain in force as they are. Citizens can, if necessary, ask for additional information directly from the official who made the decision.
Lempäälä municipality will implement a new micromobility permit system starting from 1.1.2026, which particularly concerns rental electric scooters. With the permit, the municipality can regulate the areas of use, speeds, and parking locations of electric scooters to improve safety. The first permits will be granted on a trial basis for one year at a time. The municipality will not charge fees for permit processing for the time being, but the introduction of fees will be considered as the operational period progresses.
The Community Board approved the service plan for 2026, which implements the budget decided by the municipal council. The main objective of the plan is to develop the municipal center and Sääksjärvi through zoning and to promote the construction of zoned plots. Two new sports facilities will be completed in the Saika area, and the artificial snow track will be enabled again for the winter season 2026-2027. Additionally, healthcare and social services properties will be transferred to the new Kuntakiinteistöt Oy, which will affect property maintenance.
The Administrative Court of Hämeenlinna requested a statement from the municipality regarding an appeal where the applicant demands permission to build a new detached house on Nääjärventie. The Community Board had rejected the application in September because the area is designated for agricultural and forestry use in the master plan, not for construction. Several permits have already been granted for the area, and additional construction would densify the area contrary to the master plan. The Board proposes to the Administrative Court that the original rejection decision was correct and justified.
The Community Board decided to add three new projects to the municipality's investment basket for 2026. The planning of the final section of Moisiolammentie and the streets in the Myllyvainio area will begin during 2026, with the actual construction work starting in 2027. Additionally, a new local sports facility is being planned for the Ruskea-ahde residential area, which will serve both area residents and Saikantalon school students. These projects promote business development, new residential areas, and sports opportunities in the municipality.
The Community Board approved an increase in the building control fee schedule, which will come into effect on January 1, 2026. The fee schedule will increase by an average of 5.6 percent due to the general rise in cost levels, meaning that building permits and inspection supervision will become slightly more expensive. Technical clarifications were also made to the fee schedule regarding the determination of securities for commencement rights and appeal procedures. Fees are determined according to the fee schedule that is in effect on the date of the permit decision or completion of the official task.
Pöytäkirjan tarkastajat
Ilmoitusasiat
The Community Board approved plans for a new local sports facility in Ruskea-ahde park, which will serve the schoolchildren and daycare children of Saikantalon school, which will be completed in spring 2026. The artificial turf field can be used for football, pesäpallo and other ball games, and for skating in winter, and it is also freely available for local residents in the evenings and weekends. The field will be constructed during 2026 at a cost of 200,000 euros, and state funding will be sought for it. Both local residents and school staff were consulted in the planning process.
The Regional Waste Management Board proposes an increase in transportation prices for septic tank and cesspit sludge for 2026. The transportation price for small tanks up to 6 cubic meters would increase by 2.91 euros, from 118.45 euros to 121.36 euros, while the price for larger tanks over 6 cubic meters would increase by 2.13 euros, from 142.55 euros to 144.68 euros. The price increases are due to general cost inflation and rising transportation indices. The Community Services Board will provide a statement on the matter to the Waste Management Board.
The municipality's stormwater fee will increase from the current 32 euros to 34 euros per property from the beginning of 2026. The fee is collected from properties located within the stormwater system's area of influence, regardless of whether they are directly connected to the sewer network. Going forward, the stormwater fee will also be collected from built lots rented by the municipality. The fee covers the costs of managing stormwater on municipal public areas, such as maintenance of open ditches, stormwater basins and other detention structures.
Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto has proposed a new waste fee for 2026, and the municipal board issued a statement on it. In Lempäälä, the emptying prices for mixed waste containers will remain largely unchanged, but for certain container sizes, prices will increase moderately by a maximum of 0.1 euros per emptying. The basic fee component of the waste charge, which covers advisory services and waste station maintenance, will not change. The new tariff is intended to be implemented starting from 1.1.2026.
The Community Development Board approved the meeting agenda, which is the list of matters to be discussed and their order of consideration. This is a standard procedure at the beginning of each meeting to ensure that all matters are addressed in the agreed order.
The committee approved the price increase for Lekitek Oy's service agreement for the year 2026. The price increases are due to wage increases, general price inflation, and maintaining service levels in cleaning, green space, and sports facility services. The agreement has been clarified particularly regarding cleaning, green services, and sports facilities, and some services have been removed from the agreement entirely. Lekitek Oy manages the maintenance and cleaning of municipal properties as well as the upkeep of sports facilities and green areas.
Tampere metropolitan area public transport Nysse is planning Lempäälä's public transport service level for 2026-2030. The goal is to align public transport services with the municipality's land use planning and provide service where there are the most passengers. In Lempäälä, public transport popularity is growing steadily - in 2024 there were approximately 932,000 boardings, which is 2.88 percent more than the previous year. The biggest changes to public transport can be implemented in 2028-2029, when the current traffic operation contracts expire.