Amendment may claim two towns

Photo: Jassu Hertsmann

Pursuant to new rules, the definition «small town» will cease to exist, all small towns turning into towns of villages. Harju County, however, may add some cities.

The law amendment prepared at interior ministry will make towns (alev) or villages out of all Estonia’s small towns (alevik); cities like Kallaste and Mõisaküla may be downgraded to towns, and we may see the birth of Haabneeme city. 

Currently, in local governments, cities, towns and small towns are a topic rather messy. For example: Vahi village, at the side of Tartu and boasting 1,620 inhabitants, and the Haabneeme small town (5,634) are significantly larger than the cities Mõisaküla and Kallaste (registered population 899 and 963, respectively). 

As stated in the Amendment of Territory of Estonia Administrative Division Act, no sent for the coordination circuit, local governments are expected, by 2019, to change their own statuses; otherwise, minister of regional affairs will in 2018 start checking legality of «species» thereof. By January 1^st 2019 the changes will have been executed and Estonia’s 186 small towns will have been turned into towns or villages. The small town notion will be history.

Currently, a small town is defined as densely populated area with 300–1,000 inhabitants; the larger such settlements had the option of becoming towns. In times to come, all densely populated areas with 300 or more inhabitants will thus become towns. Right now, Estonia only has 12 towns; of these, only Vändra stands as an independent local government.

Current small towns and future towns alike may lose the town-status, should population fall under 100; on the other hand, a densely populated village exceeding 300 inhabitants may be promoted to be a town.

The same logic applies to cities: soon, any densely populated area with more than 5,000 inhabitants may become a city. Possible candidates, thus, may be small towns Peetri or Haabneeme, in Harju County. City status is lost, however, as population falls under 1,000 – as has happened to Kallaste and Mõisaküla. Estonia totals 47 cities; there are others to be found wanting, probably, when weighed in the balance.

From now on, minister of regional affairs will check the population register once every five years – to verify the numbers and statuses.

Thus, the city of Kallaste would become a commune – and also a town. As amounts of cities and/or small towns decrease, regions minister still needs to see to historic continuity of administrative divisions, hearing out the opinions of local councils.

Nevertheless, the draft clearly states that the opinion of councils is purely advisory, the final decision taken by government. Also, the concept of historic continuity remains rather vague.

To Kallaste council chairman Fjodor Plešankov, the bill came as surprise. According to him, mere title carries no value: «One may indeed regard oneself as a city or country dweller; even so, with Estonia so small, what’s the difference.»

He admitted that Kallaste no longer measures up to be a city: «We’ve become used to calling it a little village.»

Mõisaküla mayor Ervin Tamberg, however, hopes the place will still grow. «I’m cheering the community on, saying let’s survive this and hopefully better times will come,» said he. «I believe they’d be returning, should Tallinn stop tempting them with magic words again. And our business is recovering.»

Where would the mayor draw the population-line of no longer being a city? «Once it comes down to 500, then we’d have to admit insufficiency,» thinks Mr Tamberg. His main fear is not in name/title; rather, it is being merged with some other local government. «Better be a town; but this community wants no merger.»

According to 2011 census, Peetri small town had 4,435 people; by now it may have grown to 5,000 thinks small town elder Margus Laula. Population register states less, regions minister will be based on that.

«It used to be a village, but the local government made us a small town; villages have roads but small towns have streets, therefore we will get more state money for street maintenance,» explained Mr Laula.

He is not excited about becoming a city, however: no one fled Tallinn to live in a city... «I’d actually love to live in a village,» said Mr Laula. As opposed to forced changes for small cities and towns/small towns, the bill in progress lets councils decide if towns of 5,000 plus want to be cities or not.

The working group that shaped the bill included a bunch of scientists, from a professor of architecture to a semiotician. The group’s leader, human geography professor Rein Ahas from University of Tartu, was surprised that regions minister chose to do away with small towns, not towns – for linguistic and emotional reasons related to language and perceived meaning.

According to Mr Ahas, the working group refrained from setting in place status-changing mechanisms. «We were clearly against forced changes... the local community opinion should be regarded,» explained the professor.

According to Prof Ahas, no-one would be hurt by Kallaste or Mõisaküla being cities, as nothing much would change with titles. «Has the state nothing better to do than think if Kallaste is a city? Let them be city, if they like,» stated Prof Ahas.

Shifting from city or town to village or vice versa has its pros and cons. Firstly, cities and towns (currently also small towns) have streets; for maintenance of streets, per kilometre, the state gives multiple money as compared to local roads.

Meanwhile land tax exemption in cities, towns/small towns or densely populated areas with general or county planning applies up to 0.15 hectares; elsewhere, up to 2 hectares. Also, some cities are not able to draw European Union support meant for promotion of rural development. 

According to regions minister Siim Kiisler, the bill gives local governments a long transitional period, during which they may present their proposals.

«Regional minister only intervenes in five years’ time,» said he. «This is a very soft approach and I don’t think it makes any sense to deceive oneself – if it isn’t a city, then so be it. The current criteria, regrettably, are very hazy.»

New rules

The amendment tidies up types of settlements, by 2019. Underneath, find a few examples:

•    From small town to town (small towns with 100+ inhabitants)

    Peetri small town, Harju County – 4,435 inhabitants**

    Sangaste small town, Valga County – 245 inhabitants**

•    Small town to village (small towns with under 100 inhabitants)

    No definite examples found

•    Village to town (population growing to 300)

    Vahi village, Tartu County – 1,620 inhabitants**

•    City to town (population falls below 1,000)

    Mõisaküla – 899 inhabitants*

    Kallaste – 963 inhabitants*

•    Town/small town to city (population grows to 5,000)***

    Haabneeme small town – 5,634**

* Population register data as at January 1^st. Minister of Regional Affairs will go by such data.

** Census data i.e. as at December 31^st 2011.

*** Changing towns/small towns into cities will be up to local councils.