The Herzliya municipality and Kibbutz Glil Yam have been negotiating for a year on a new plan for the kibbutz's land in place of the one disallowed by the Tel Aviv District Court in 1999. The new plan provides for 3,000 housing units, to be constructed in stages. The kibbutz is currently refusing to sign the plan.
Following the court decision, Africa-Israel Investments and developer Roni Yitzhaki announced a year ago the cancellation of a 3,500-unit, $1 billion project on the kibbutz's land. Sources inform "Globes" that despite this announcement, negotiations between the kibbutz and Africa-Israel are continuing, and the company is moving the project forward towards implementation. An Africa-Israel spokesman declined to respond, and no response from Yitzhaki was available.
Herzliya mayor Yael German said the new plan for the kibbutz land would be submitted to the District Planning and Building Commission only after the kibbutz signs the agreement with the municipality and agreement is obtained from the Israel Land Administration (ILA), which leases the land to the kibbutz.
The Glil Yam plan covers 1,000 dunam (250 acres) between Ramat Hasharon and Herzliya. The kibbutz's original plan included 3,500 housing units of high-density construction in buildings of up to 48 storeys.
The new plan, which was brought up for discussion in a planning meeting in the Herzliya municipality in January 2001, proposes allocating 20% of the land for housing for young couples entitled to assistance from the Ministry of Housing and Construction. Along the same lines, it was decided not to approve construction before the matter was arranged with the ministry and the ILA. The decision means the ILA and the developers will receive less money.
It was also decided to set up a 100-dunam (25-acre) park in the center of the compound at the developers' expense, at a preset cost. This decision also detracts from the expected proceeds from the land.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on January 17, 2002