Photo: DPA

Berlin to quash noise complaints caused by children

Published: 4 Aug 09 10:38 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090804-21017.html

After several court cases over playground noise, the Berlin city government is planning to thwart crotchety complainers with a ban on lawsuits against noise disturbances by children, daily Berliner Morgenpost reported on Tuesday.

“Noise from playing children is a socially appropriate manifestation of young life and fundamentally tolerable in interest of the preservation of their development,” according to the text of Social Democrats’ proposed change to the city’s noise laws.

The amendment, expected to be passed by the city parliament this fall, is meant to prevent the inclusion of racket caused by children with “traffic noise and jackhammers,” SPD spokesperson for youth and family issues Sandra Scheeres told the paper.

“It’s important that children can romp,” she said. “That’s why child noise is part of life. It’s normal.”

The SPD wants to emphasise that public playgrounds, day care centres and schools must be tolerated in neighbourhoods, a reality that has come into question after courts ruled in favour of plaintiffs who said the noise was unbearable.

Last year in Berlin’s Friedenau district, for example, the Milchzahn day care centre was forced to change locations after a neighbour “felt disturbed,” and took the case to court, the paper said. A similar case was also successful in Hamburg.

Children’s advocacy groups have welcomed the SPD initiative, the paper reported.

The Local (news@thelocal.de)

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11:05 August 4, 2009 by Portnoy
Golf clap.
12:16 August 4, 2009 by William Thirteen
the little monsters should be seen and not heard. or maybe not even seen. keep them in the cellar until they're old enough to start working and paying taxes.
15:53 August 4, 2009 by Portnoy
Bill! One country over, buddy. Same language, different country.
16:30 August 4, 2009 by William Thirteen
ha! over in austria they don't even let them out to work!
09:00 August 5, 2009 by Rinjo
This is why I chain my kids to the refridgerator. They get quality time at least three times a day... more on the weekend when I need snacks!!!
17:16 August 5, 2009 by straderm
I wonder how easy it is to file a noise complaint lawsuit. If you can win against a day care, you can surely win against a church bell.

I've often wondered how the police would react if I even called them up to complain about the racket coming from down the block without telling them I'm complaining about a church. I've never tried it though, because it overlaps with my game of asking myself, "What would it take to get myself deported?"
17:37 August 5, 2009 by Easypeasy
I'm glad we have hardly any kids in your neighbourhood.
19:46 August 5, 2009 by wood artist
While I was on a City Council in the US, we twice had to deal with complaints by people who moved in next to an existing primary school (Grundschule) , and then complained about noise from the children playing during recess.

"What part of living next to a school with little kids did you not understand?"

WWM
18:04 August 6, 2009 by JennyH
and meanwhile SO36 is threatened because ONE new resident in the building is upset that Oranienstrasse doesn't sound like Hüttenweg...
00:05 August 13, 2009 by paulbb
Can someone PLEASE tell me how people can moan about the noise of kids playing and yet not be bothered by the ear-screaming siren of a fire truck returnign to base at 3am?
02:58 August 13, 2009 by Frieda123
The noise of a fire truck usually finishes within seconds.
13:03 August 13, 2009 by Frieda123
No, of course not. It's in the nature of children to be noisy and to frolic about. But that doesn't mean to say that everyone around has to enjoy it. In fact most people don't. The majority of parents are happy when their kids are quiet.
23:58 August 14, 2009 by paulbb
The noise of a fire truck usually finishes within seconds.
... and then the next one starts up about 6 minutes later.
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