Developers invested 100,000 shekels, and the authorities demand stopping the construction of a coffee cart in Rosh HaAyin

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Yarkon Drainage and Streams Authority are demanding that the Rosh HaAyin municipality immediately halt work on establishing a coffee cart near the Rosh HaAyin forest and remove the infrastructure already built on-site. According to the two bodies, placing the cart in the planned location may endanger lives and property.

The demands follow a High Court order to freeze work pending a petition filed by environmental organizations, with a hearing expected in two days. Rosh HaAyin Mayor Raz Shagia continues to push for the cart's placement at the chosen site, despite opposition from environmental groups and warnings regarding environmental and infrastructure damage. Shagia determined that the coffee cart would be located east of the forest, beyond the wildlife crossing, which serves as a vital artery for local fauna.

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has issued an opinion stating that the project could cause severe harm to the ecological crossing, describing it as a "mortal injury, to the point of full non-functioning of the crossing and the extinction of animals in the area." Despite the lack of a supporting ecological assessment, Shagia maintains that the site is suitable, including for a large parking lot.

The Yarkon Drainage and Streams Authority notified the municipality last week that the construction of service rooms and a sewage tank was carried out without the required permits, in violation of the Planning and Building Law and the Drainage Law. The authority warned that the area is intended for runoff retention to prevent flooding, and building there reduces drainage capacity, increasing flood risks downstream. The authority stated it would consider issuing a demolition order or performing the removal itself at the municipality's expense.

Ministry of Environmental Protection Director-General Rami Rozen contacted Mayor Shagia this week, urging him to consider an alternative location. Rozen noted that the area is a highly sensitive ecological corridor connecting Samaria to Rosh HaAyin, home to deer, spotted hyenas, jackals, and porcupines. He also highlighted the risk of soil and groundwater contamination from unapproved sewage pits.

The developers, who invested over 100,000 shekels, are now caught in the crossfire. "We are three young guys who wanted to do something good for the residents, but we got caught in a situation beyond our control," said developer Shiv Giv Ackerman. Mayor Shagia insists that the location is legal, designated as a road under a major interchange, and was prepared by KKL as a parking area two years ago.