Cologne delayed: new rules for downtown seats are still pending!

Cologne delayed: new rules for downtown seats are still pending!

The Cologne city administration is currently facing a dilemma: The new rules for events in popular inner city places, such as Roncalliplatz or on the cathedral, are long in coming. Originally, a citizens' council was supposed to discuss the new regulations after the summer break in 2024, but as [ksta.de reports] (https://mobil.ksta.de/koeln/koelnerstadt/koeln-neue-regeln-fuernstadt-plaetze-zoegern-sich- 1038048), there have been little progress since then. Many residents and event participants wonder how to proceed.

So far, there are no decisions from the city council that are to be made in early 2025. Mayor Henriette Reker is emphasized to redesign the public space in the city and to give it more "space to breathe". The planned mission statement will be crucial to regulate the number and type of events in the central places.

challenges of planning

According to the concept of the city, the interests of residents, businesses and general public should be weighted, which requires a certain level of willingness to compromise. Daniel Kölle, the former head of the Events staff, explained that the new concept answers the very justified question of which type of events Cologne actually wants.

The award concept for events regulates the number of event days. By 2028, 63 days and an additional 44 days for assembly and dismantling are planned for the Heumarkt. According to the NRW leisure noise, only 18 these days may be considered "rare events" where noise pollution may be higher, which is certainly an important concern for residents. A citizen of the Heumarkt has already vehemently mobilized the noise.

Citizens' councils as a new dialogue

In order to involve the citizens more into planning, the city relies on citizens' councils. These meetings consist of randomly selected members who jointly discuss topics and develop solutions. The first citizens' council in Cologne deals with the topic "Mobile in the Livable Quarter". Among other things, the search is to significantly reduce traffic in certain parts of the city and to regulate the type of means of transport. This new form of dialogue is intended to help the citizens' opinions directly into the political work, as explained [opinion fuer.koeln] (https://meinungfuer.koeln/buergerraete-ein-pilot-fuer- koeln).

The city of Cologne has a lot to do with the current conception phase and the outstanding decisions. Many events stand and fall with the new guidelines - an area that is of great importance for the quality of life in Cologne. It remains to be seen whether the city can master the challenges and take the concerns of the residents seriously. However, one thing is clear: it is time to give the city a clear course in order to make public space for all Cologne and visitors worth living. After all, there are not only empty places, but also to win a living city.