Municipalities fight for Preikestolen

PULPIT ROCK.Photo: Paul Kleiven / NTB scanpix

The new, large municipality of Sandnes risks losing the tourist attraction of Preikestolen to Strand municipality. In June, a referendum will be held on the matter.

 

Preikestolen is located in Forsand municipality and according to the planwould be located in the municipality of a new Sandnes when the two municipalities merge on the 1st of January 2020.

But now a referendum could disturb the plans, reported Stavanger Aftenblad newspaper.

On Wednesday, Forsand City Council adopted, by nine to eight votes, that only the residents of Kolabygda on the northern side of Lysefjorden will participate in the referendum on removing Preikestolen from New Sandnes. This increases the chance of a majority for detachment, wrote the newspaper.

Last year, former Forsand mayor, Fridtjov Thorsen Norland, took the initiative to divide the area on the northern side of Lysefjorden between the municipality of New Sandnes and become part of Strand Municipality. Along with many supporters, he has applied for a change to the county governor in Rogaland.

“It is completely unnatural for us to become part of the municipality of Sandnes,as long as we are close to the municipality of Strand. By going into Strand, people in our area will get a much shorter road to the municipal center and the municipal services are mentioned in the grounds for the change.’’

Several in Forsand City Council, however, strongly oppose changing the municipal
boundary.

“Everyone has feelings for Preikestolen, it’s a lot to ask that we give it away to Strand,” said Roar Larsen of Arbeiderpartiet (Ap).

It is the municipal ministry that will ultimately decide which of the municipalities will
“win” Preikestolen.

 

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today