Mayor Pajunen says Helsinki could expand to land it owns in Sipoo
Sipoo does not want Helsinki to take over its forest land
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Time: Friday, Jan. 13th.
Place: Sopukka in West Sipoo.
Distance to Centre of Helsinki: 23 kilometres.
Topic: Meeting of Helsinki Mayor and Sipoo Municipal Mayor.
It is quiet at the Sopukka training and rehabilitation centre. Not even the wind can be heard blowing between the tall trees. Between the trees, a desolate, ice-covered bay of the sea can be seen. The sound of a snowmobile can be heard somewhere.
It is 9:22 in the morning. A silent man walks up a hill.Markku Luoma, Municipal Mayor of Sipoo arrives.
Ten minutes later, Helsinki Mayor Jussi Pajunen walks up the same hill.
Only a day and a half earlier there had been intense calls in the Helsinki City Council last week for the merger of the cities of the Greater Helsinki area.
Representatives of Finland’s three largest parties on the City Council had declared almost in one voice, that the western parts of Sipoo, at the very least, should be merged with Helsinki.
Pajunen and Luoma came to Sopukka at the request of Helsingin Sanomat. The aim is to discuss relations between Helsinki and Sipoo.
A surprising fact is revealed: no such discussions have ever been held before.
Helsinki is taking the initiative, and Pajunen begins. What does Helsinki want?
"The population of the entire Helsinki region has grown considerably, but Sipoo has not been involved in the development. Sipoo has been separate from the whole of the Helsinki region", Pajunen begins.
According to Pajunen, a significant eastward change in the structure of the Helsinki region has taken place. He says that in this situation it makes no sense that a wilderness starts at the eastern edge of the region.
Luoma listens to Pajunen and leafs through his calendar. He says that the existence of Sipoonkorpi, a 7,000 hectare forest area, which Sipoo wants to keep forested, gives the erroneous impression that Sipoo has nothing but forest.
The City of Helsinki owns a large amount of the Sipoonkorpi forest.
Pajunen calculates that Helsinki owns about five percent of the land area of Sipoo. "The land holdings are in the very area that is the focus of pressure for development.
The Mayor of Helsinki feels that Sipoo’s two percent annual population growth is completely insufficient. "That is only 360 people a year!"
Pajunen notes that the whole Helsinki region needs 15,000 new dwellings, and in the long term, as many as 50,000.
"It is unsustainable for the entire pressure for growth to be focused only on the west and north, while the east is completely sidelined.
Luoma says that he understands Pajunen’s point of view. Luoma hints that in Sipoo’s upcoming zoning plan, Helsinki could be in for a surprise.
"There are alternatives in it, which will bring greater figures of growth."
Luoma says that the Sipoo Municipal Council will discuss the matter further in April.
Pajunen returns to the discussion that has taken place in Helsinki.
"I understand the debate of the groups in the City Council concerning West Sipoo in such a way that if Sipoo does not want to develop the lands owned by Helsinki, then some part of Sipoo should be annexed by Helsinki. After that, Helsinki will start developing the area in order to make the urban structure develop further."
Luoma does not want any discussions on altering the municipal border. He says that there can be discussions on the land that Helsinki owns in Sipoo, but adds that there have been no requests for such negotiations from Helsinki.
Pajunen is not interested in the offer for discussions. He feels that the municipal reform of the Helsinki region should be pushed forward primarily as cooperation of the whole area.
The two agree on one matter: Sipoo cannot afford to finance the kind of growth that Helsinki wants.
"It is not the obligation of the present residents to pay for the arrival of new ones. But I am sure that a way can be found, such as land use agreements, or the involvement of the state", Luoma says.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 16.1.2006 - TODAY |
 Mayor Pajunen says Helsinki could expand to land it owns in Sipoo |
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