Apply for a facade garden, insect hotel, tree bed, public green space, planter and bench

A façade garden is a narrow garden along the façade of an owner-occupied house on local authority land.

Rules

• The width is approximately 1 tot 1.5 tiles (30 a 45 cm).
• A space of 1.20 metres must remain.
• You can use the removed stones as planter boxes for your garden by setting them upright.
• If you come across any cables and pipes while digging, contact your landlord, the local authority or your utilities company.
• Do not obstruct gutters and ventilation grids in the wall.
• Avoid causing a nuisance with overhanging branches and other greenery.
• The land in which the façade garden is built remains the property of the City of Leeuwarden.
• The local authority and utilities companies always have free access to the land in which the façade garden is located.
• You maintain the facade garden yourself.

Steps for creating façade gardens

• Before applying for a facade garden, consult with the homeowner for agreement.
• After the application, the local authority checks whether the façade garden can be built in the chosen place. Has this been approved? If so, the local authority will schedule a time to pave the edges of the facade garden. You do not need to do this yourself.
• Once the paving has been removed, you can replace the layer of street sand with garden soil or potting soil and put in your plants.
• See the Groen leeft in Leeuwarden website for suitable native plants (plants that occur naturally in the area), maintenance, and enjoy your facade garden.

Applying for or cancelling a façade garden

You can apply or cancel the garden online.

Are you unwilling or unable to apply or cancel online?

Download and complete the form Apply for/Cancel a facade garden, insect hotel, tree bed, public green space, planter, bench. Send the form by post to the City of Leeuwarden. You can also hand it in at the Town Hall.

An insect hotel is a great way to give insects a hiding and nesting place. First ask your neighbours how they feel about it. If they do not agree, you cannot place the insect hotel. Otherwise you could have problems with your neighbours, and that is the last thing anyone wants.

Rules for the location of the insect hotel

• Place an insect hotel of material that blends in well with the surroundings. There is not much space in Leeuwarden city centre. Consult with the local authority on what is possible by emailing bewonersinitiatieven@leeuwarden.nl.

• The size of the insect hotel can be up to 1 metre tall. In that case, you do not need to apply for a permit. Is the insect hotel taller? If so, contact the local authority.

• In connection with grass mowing, the hotel should be at least 2 to 4 metres away from:

• • trees, shrubs and woodland
  • other objects in the grass such as posts, signs, play facilities, benches, waste bins, etc.

• Place the insect hotel at least 1 metre from:

• • underground and above-ground fire hydrants;

• • objects and pipes of utility companies, such as gas, water or electricity.

• The hotel should not obstruct routes to adjacent and residential and commercial properties.

Who maintains the insect hotel?

The insect hotel applicant is also responsible for maintenance. Is the insect hotel in the grass? If so, you must also maintain the grass 1 metre around the insect hotel.

Points to consider

• The land on which the hotel is located remains the property of the City of Leeuwarden.
• The local authority and utility companies always have free access to the land on which the insect hotel is located. Is the land needed for other things? If so, the local authority or utility company may (temporarily) remove the insect hotel. We will inform you in advance by sending you a letter.
• The local authority is not responsible for damage caused by moving the insect hotel.
• Does the insect hotel not comply with the rules? In that case, the local authority may remove the hotel without consulting you.

Applying for or cancelling an insect hotel

You can apply or cancel the insect hotel online.

Are you unwilling or unable to apply or cancel online?

Download and complete the form Apply for/Cancel a facade garden, insect hotel, tree bed, public green space, planter, bench. Send the form by post to the City of Leeuwarden. You can also hand it in at the Town Hall.

The root zone is the area around a tree trunk. You can make a small garden in that area. If you have adopted a root zone, a special tile will be placed in the area to prevent it from being removed.

Rules

• Check that the soil quality is good enough.
• You can raise the root zone by a maximum of 25 cm with soil.
• If you need to dig, take care not to damage the tree’s roots.
• Water the area regularly. A root zone is often a dry area.

Adopting or cancelling a root zone

You can apply or cancel the garden online.

Are you unwilling or unable to apply or cancel online?

Download and complete the form Apply for/Cancel a facade garden, insect hotel, tree bed, public green space, planter, bench. Send the form by post to the City of Leeuwarden. You can also hand it in at the Town Hall.

In certain situations, it is possible to maintain a piece of local authority land, public green space. The maximum size is 50 m2. You can plant your own flowers or plants here but the land remains the property of the City of Leeuwarden.

Rules

If you want to maintain a piece of local authority land, public green space, ask your neighbours if they agree first. If they do not agree, it cannot go ahead. Otherwise you could have problems with your neighbours, and that is the last thing anyone wants.

• The land remains the property of the City of Leeuwarden.
• The local authority can place the adopted land back under its own management if necessary. The applicant will be informed of this.
• The local authority is not liable for any damage caused to your adopted green space during maintenance.
• If the rules for “adopting green space” are not met, the initiative may be stopped by the local authority, which will take the adopted land back under its own management.
• Include a map/plan of the piece of land you want to maintain with your application. You can do this using Google Maps.
• If the application is approved, a white tile will be placed as a sign that the green space is maintained by the resident.
• Please let us know if you decide to stop maintaining a public green space. For that purpose, send an email to: bewonersinitiatieven@leeuwarden.nl.

Points to consider

• The land may not be leased, sublet or passed on to third parties for any form of use.
• No buildings, fencing and/or other structures that obstruct access may be built.
• No nuisance must be caused to nearby residents.
• The land may not be paved.
• No deep-rooting trees and/or shrubs may be planted. This is in connection with cables and pipes.
• The local authority or utilities companies may always carry out any necessary earthworks.
• Street gutters and gullies must be kept clear for rainwater drainage.
• Due to the limited space and protected urban conservation area, additional rules apply to the city centre. For more information, contact the City of Leeuwarden by sending an email to: bewonersinitiatieven@leeuwarden.nl.

Adopting or cancelling public green space

You can apply or cancel the garden online.

Are you unwilling or unable to apply or cancel online?

Download and complete the form Apply for/Cancel a facade garden, insect hotel, tree bed, public green space, planter, bench. Send the form by post to the City of Leeuwarden. You can also hand it in at the Town Hall.

If you want to place a planter box, the first thing to do is ask your neighbours if they agree. If not, you cannot place the planter box. Otherwise you could have problems with your neighbours, and that is the last thing anyone wants.

Which planter boxes to use

• Place a planter box that fits in well with its surroundings. The maximum size of the planter box is 1 x 1 x 1 metres.
• Reflectors must be applied to the pot to make it visible to all road users in the dark.
• The planter box should be made in such a way that it is movable (possibly by using a forklift truck).

Where you can place a planter box

• Pedestrians need 1.20 metres of walking space on a pavement/pedestrian area.
• Do not place a planter box in the walking route for the blind and visually impaired.
• A minimum distance of 2 metres must be kept free up to:
  • The street corner.
  • Pedestrian crossings and bus stops.
  • Trees and green spaces (hedges, parks and lawns) in connection with maintenance.
• Access to adjacent homes, institutions and businesses must be kept clear.
• A minimum distance of 1 metre must be kept free up to:
  • Underground and above-ground fire hydrants.
  • Valves and distributor boxes of utilities companies.
• Street gutters and gullies must be kept clear to allow rainwater to drain.
• Due to the limited space and protected urban conservation area, additional rules apply to the city centre. For more information, contact the City of Leeuwarden.

Who maintains the planter boxes?

The applicant is personally responsible for maintaining the planter box. Avoid causing nuisance.

Points to consider

• The land on which the planter box stands remains the property of the City of Leeuwarden.
• The name of the applicant for the planter box must be known and that person must know the rules.
• If the soil is needed for other things, the box can be removed after notifying the applicant for the planter box.
• The local authority and utilities companies always have free access to the land on which the planter box is located. The planter box can be moved for this purpose by the Field Service or relevant contractor.
• The local authority is not responsible for damage caused by moving the planter boxes.
• If the “planter box” rules are not followed, the planter box may be removed without further notice.

Applying for or cancelling a planter box

You can apply or cancel the garden online.

Are you unwilling or unable to apply or cancel online?

Download and complete the form Apply for/Cancel a facade garden, insect hotel, tree bed, public green space, planter, bench. Send the form by post to the City of Leeuwarden. You can also hand it in at the Town Hall.

As a resident, would you like to organize, implement and finance something with the aim of improving the living environment in your village, district or neighbourhood? Then you can submit a residents’ initiative. You will find more information on the page Submitting a residents’ initiative.