Planning of the new city of Harish is progressing. In order to meet the government's aim of making it a city of 100,000 residents, additional space is needed for planning new neighborhoods. Sources inform "Globes" that a few weeks ago, Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon signed a special order enabling Harish to expand its jurisdiction and add 2,000 dunam (500 acres) to the city.
This request, which was submitted to the Ministry of Construction and Housing, encountered objections from the nearby communities whose land is now being added to Harish. Following a discussion on the Committee for Planning Issues, a subcommittee of the National Planning and Building Commission, adjustments were made in the proposed area and the expansion of the city's jurisdiction was approved. Kahlon shortly afterwards signed an official order. The expansion will increase the planned area for Harish to 6,500 dunam (1,625 acres). The areas now added to the planned area, located east and north of the city, are being taken away from land belonging to the Galilee and the Menashe-Alona District Planning and Building Commission.
Now that the order has been signed and published in the records, the special Harish committee, headed by David Magen, can begin planning up to 20,000 new housing units in the town. The special committee stated, "Extending the planning boundaries was necessary in order to develop the community, given its accelerated construction and dramatic development. The special committee for planning and building Harish has issued permits for 10,000 housing units to date and has finished the detailed outline planning of the first five neighborhoods in the town with a projected 50,000 residents. The designated planning zone approved is to the northeast of Harish. Before it was approved, the committee's experts assessed it in accordance with the topographical constraints and land contours in a series of discussions and field visits." The committee added that the first request for planning in the area added to the community had already been received - a request by Mekorot National Water Company for construction of a third water tower in the community in order to supply water.
The Ministry of Construction and Housing said, "As part of the continued planning and developing of Harish, the planning area for the special committee for planning and building Harish has been expanded. 2,000 dunam were added in this framework as an additional development reserve for Harish, in addition to 4,400 dunam (1,100 acres) in which the special committee began operating in November 2008. The decision to extend the special committee's jurisdiction was initiated by the minister of construction and housing and approved by the National Planning and Building Commission. Expanding the special Harish committee's area is another essential element in the development of Harish, which will become a new city in Israel in the space between Tel Aviv and Haifa. This action constitutes a step towards implementation of the government decision to develop Harish and sets a population target of 100,000."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 27, 2018
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