Lower noise protection introduced in the german federal construction law - mixing uses to enhace construction efficiency and soil preservation

Abstract

Abstract Addressing the city planner’s trade-off between separating versus mixing city functions, this paper analyses the new land use type introduced within the reform of the 2017 German Federal Building Code: the “Urban Area”, which admits higher levels of building density and noise and aims at achieving more flexibility for house construction and soil preservation. The conflict regarding noise levels is addressed by comparing the different measuring methods and upper allowed emission levels, as per the Federal Protection against Noise Ordinance. The Federal Land Use Ordinance defines several profound deviations from the typically foreseen categories, and extends the discretionary powers of the authorities, which can thereby decide in each individual case if transgression of the upper limits is justified. Nevertheless, there are stakeholders in favour of more flexibility, and others in favour of more rigid noise protection levels. In conclusion, all deviations from the regular types of permitted uses are based on the obligation of duly weighting all interests involved. An example of the implementation of that basic planning strategy is an urban rehabilitation project realised before the introduction of the new “Urban Area” legal instrument. Several related judgements have established everyone’s right to having their interests properly addressed. Keywords: Protection against Noise; Urban Rehabilitation; Discretionary Powers in Urban Planning; Reform of the 2017 German Federal Building Code; City Planning Law Resumo Partindo das alternativas entre separacao ou mistura de funcoes no espaco citadino, este artigo analisa o novo tipo especifico de uso do solo, introduzido na reforma do Codigo Federal do Urbanismo de 2017: a “Area Urbana”, que admite niveis mais altos de densidade de construcoes e de ruido, intencionando assim uma maior flexibilidade para a construcao de casas e promovendo a poupanca do solo natural. O conflito relativo ao ruido e debatido observando os diferentes metodos de medicao e os niveis de emissao permitidos. O Regulamento de Construcao define varios desvios significativos das categorias regulares previstas e, alem disso, amplia os poderes discricionarios das autoridades, que podem, assim, decidir em cada caso individual se a transgressao dos limites superiores e justificada. No entanto, existem interessados a favor de uma maior flexibilizacao e outros defendem niveis mais rigidos de protecao contra o ruido. Em conclusao, todas as variacoes dos tipos regulares de usos permitidos sao uma concretizacao da obrigacao de ponderar devidamente todos os interesses envolvidos na determinacao do uso do solo. A implementacao dessa ideia mais basica do planeamento e avaliada com base em varios Acordaos e num projeto de reabilitacao urbana realizado antes da introducao do novo instrumento legal da “Area Urbana”. Palavras-chave: Protecao contra o ruido; Reabilitacao Urbana; Poderes discricionarios no planeamento urbano; Reforma do Codigo Federal de Urbanismo da Alemanha de 2017; Direito do Ordenamento do Territorio