Court Approves 750 Housing Units at Tel Aviv Bus Garage Site

An Israeli administrative court has rejected a petition by 48 residents, clearing the way for the construction of approximately 750 housing units in northern Tel Aviv. The project will replace the existing Dan bus garage and parking lot on a 38-dunam site near the intersection of Raul Wallenberg and Pinchas Rosen streets.

The court upheld the urban renewal plan, which includes towers of 15-19 stories, commercial spaces, public buildings, and open public areas. The residents' petition challenged the planning authorities' decision to designate an additional 7.5 dunams as public open spaces through easements, rather than as separate public plots. They argued this method improperly increased building rights, led to excessive density, and created ambiguity regarding future land use, contradicting the city's master plan.

Presiding Judge Gilad Has dismissed these claims, stating the planning committee is authorized to establish easements and that this does not conflict with the master plan. He found the plan strikes a "correct balance" between public interest, the need for open spaces, and property rights. The court noted that the plan allocates about 18.6 dunams for public needs, including 10.4 dunams for buildings and open spaces, with the easement areas being an addition.

The court also rejected claims of unreasonable density, deeming approximately 39 housing units per net dunam acceptable for a central urban area near transportation routes and the Yarkon Park. It stated that reducing building rights as requested would have eliminated 30,000 square meters of development potential without planning justification.

While acknowledging a minor procedural flaw in the publication of transportation impact studies, the court found it did not significantly harm the petitioners, as their transportation consultant had access to the documents. The petition was fully dismissed, and the residents were ordered to pay 18,000 shekels in legal costs.