Satellite dishes to be removed even in sleeping districts?

The European Radio for Belarus has obtained the 1994 document that regulates the installment of satellite dishes in Minsk. Neither the architects nor communal service bodies remember this document. But the most interesting in this resolution is the list of the streets where the installation of dishes requires mandatory approval of the city’s chief architect. Besides, not only the streets in the central Minsk, but also the streets in the capital’s sleeping remote districts are subject of the regulation.

Companies that sell and mount satellite dishes are stagnating. Potential customers are still poised to see how the “dish conflict” is going to be resolved. They say they have never managed to mount the dish legally.

A representative of Unisat company: “We have numerously tried to carry out the procedure, but nobody ever gave permission. The whole process would stall during the first step: we would file an application and that was it. We tried to write right away to the Architecture Committee and the Minsk City Hall. The result was the same. It was not possible to install a dish legally. Apparently, the situation here will resemble China where it is the Senate that approves the installation of satellite receivers. We, just like other sellers, mount the dishes at our own risk.”

ERB: Have you installed at least one dish legally?

“Neither us nor anyone else who offers this service.”

When Minskers are proposed to move their antennas to their backyards, it would help, because antennas must be targeted at satellites. There are currently jokes in the blogs, that there are three options to resolve this problem: to change the earth axis, satellite orbits or move Belarus across the Equator. More serious solution implies the shifting of antennas on the roofs.

A representative of Unisat: “Any signal will be received if the roof is higher than trees. The most important thins is to have no obstacles between the satellite and the receiver. Antennas that are installed on the roofs do not damage the image of a house, because they are simply not seen on top there. Frankly speaking, when mounted on a wall, they do not damage the building either. But the owners will have to shift their dishes onto the roof.

There are systems like Cosmos TV that offer satellite channels through cable networks. People sign contracts and watch their television channels. But usual satellite dishes will be relocated onto the roofs by their owners.”

Meanwhile, the European Radio for Belarus obtained a document dated 1994. This is a resolution by the Minsk City Hall “On regulating the installment of individual satellite antennas”.

It is interesting that nobody recalls this document: neither the architects nor communal service authorities nor the companies that deal the dishes. Yet, the document is very clear about the reasons why you could be denied permission for the installation of a satellite antenna. So, you are denied permission, if: a satellite antenna for collective reception or a cable television network have already been installed in your block of flats; if it poses threat to the safety of the residents, because the elements of the building are weakened; if the building maintenance is hampered after the installation of the antenna.

YOU CANNOT BE DENIED PERMISSION ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE DISH DAMAGES THE IMAGE OF THE BUILDING. However, this does not apply to the buildings on the streets, listed separately in this document.

It is also interesting that in case the antenna must be shifted to another location following a demand from the architecture authority, all the works associated with this are paid by the owners of the house.

You can read this regulation at our web site.

Officials at the Committee for Architecture and City Planning do no remember about this document and cannot answer the questions how the dishes should be installed in a legal way.

“Dishes can only be mounted in accordance with the project document either on the roofs or at any specifically designed niches…Perhaps they could be installed on the backyard facades. We would have to review every particular application. But people should not be allowed installing their dishes without permission. What if they start building houses without permission?” said Aliaksandr Andronchyk, the chief of city design department.

ERB: Is there at least one legally mounted dish in the whole city?

“(Long pause) Yes, there is, I think…”

Meanwhile, the list of the streets where antennas cannot be mounted without permission from the city’s chief architect includes not only the central thoroughfares, but also the streets in the “sleeping” remote districts. Some residents also need to go to the Ministry of Culture to seek permission for the installment of the dishes on the buildings that are considered historical sites.



ПРИЛОЖЕНИЕ 1
к "Временному положению о
порядке установки антенн для
индивидуального приема программ
телевидения с ИСЗ"

Обязательному согласованию с главным архитектором соответствующего административного района г.Минска подлежат проекты на установку приемной системы (антенн) на следующих магистралях и улицах города с учетом их ответственного градостроительного значения:

- пр.Машерова - ул.Варвашени
- ул.Мясникова - ул.Ванеева
- ул.К.Маркса - ул.Володарского
- ул.Маяковского - ул.Волгоградская
- ул.Московская - ул.Гамарника
- ул.Орловская - ул.Богдановича
- ул.Притыцкого - пр.Дзержинского
- пр.Партизанский - ул.Захарова
- ул.Первомайская - ул.Казинца
- пр.Пушкина - ул.Коммунистическая
- ул.Пулихова - ул.Куйбышева
- ул.Плеханова - ул.Кульман
- пр.Рокоссовского - ул.Я.Коласа
- ул.Свердлова - Логойский тракт
- ул.Советская - ул.Я.Купалы
- ул.Тимирязева - ул.Калиновского
- ул.Толбухина - ул.Красноармейская
- ул.Ульяновская - ул.Кирова
- ул.Фрунзе - ул.Комсомольская
- ул.В.Хоружей - ул.Козлова
- ул.Чкалова - ул.Кижеватова
- бульвар Шевченко - ул.Карбышева
- ул.Энгельса - ул.Кальварийская
- пр.Скорины - ул.Ленина

В соответствии с постановлением Госстроя РБ строения, ограниченные улицами:

Инженерная, Романовская Слобода, Обойная, Я.Купалы, пл.Свободы, Коммунальная Набережная, Старослободская, Торговая, Немига, Островского, Мельникайте, пр.Машерова, Димитрова, Освобождения относятся к 1-й категории историко-градостроительной ценности и любая их реконструкция, включая и установку приемных систем (антенн), подлежит обязательному согласованию с органами Республиканского общества охраны памятников истории и культуры, Министерством культуры Республики Беларусь и Комитетом архитектуры.

Согласованию с главным архитектором административного района установка антенн подлежит на зданиях, находящихся в центральной части города, ограниченной улицами: Варвашени, Козлова, Зм.Бядули, Первомайская, Ульяновская, Бобруйская, К.Цеткин, Немига, Короля, Кальварийская, Танковая, Мельникайте, пр.Машерова.

В остальных случаях установка приемной системы (антенн) согласовывается согласно требованиям утвержденного Временного положения.