Alcañiz approves civic coexistence ordinance with fines of up to 3,000 euros

The Plenary of the Alcañiz City Council definitively approved the Civic Coexistence Ordinance on October 5, 2026, the full text of which was published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Teruel number 201, dated October 20, 2026, under official reference 2026-3039. The regulation will enter into force fifteen days after its publication, on November 4, 2026, and penalizes uncivil behavior, the consumption of alcohol in public spaces, and noise with fines ranging from 150 to 3,000 euros.

The ordinance is approved under articles 140 and 141 of Law 7/1999, of April 9, on Local Administration of Aragon, and articles 49 and 70 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, regulating the Bases of the Local Regime. The text is structured into 14 chapters and 67 articles, in addition to the additional, transitional, repealing, and final provisions, and is applicable throughout the municipal district of Alcañiz. Its stated objective is to preserve public space and the assets within it as a place of coexistence, civility, and respect, in the face of uncivil actions manifested as damage to street furniture, fountains, parks, gardens, and municipal facilities.

The regulation creates the Municipal Commission for Citizen Coexistence, with functions for consultation, collection, analysis, and exchange of data, which is organized through the informative commission for Public Safety. Surveillance is the responsibility of the Alcañiz Local Police, whose reports shall have a presumption of veracity, and the authority to impose sanctions rests with the Mayor.

Fines from 150 to 3,000 euros depending on severity

Article 64 sets the amounts respecting the limits of article 141 of Law 7/1985:

• Minor infractions: from 150 to 750 euros.
• Serious infractions: from 751 to 1,500 euros.
• Very serious infractions: from 1,501 to 3,000 euros.

Payment of the fine within 20 calendar days following its notification reduces the amount by 50%. The summary procedure only applies to minor and serious infractions; very serious infractions are processed through the ordinary procedure. For those over 16 and under 18 years of age without a prior record, and for those who predictably cannot pay, the performance of community service for educational purposes is provided, which includes repairing the damage within one week, conditioning public spaces for one month, and attending re-education courses within the following six months.

Alcohol, noise, and nighttime rest

The consumption of alcoholic beverages in public spaces without municipal authorization is classified as a serious infraction, while doing so within 50 meters of teaching centers, educational facilities, and child-oriented equipment is elevated to very serious. The consumption of beverages packaged in glass on public roads and the use of glasses made of that material is also prohibited, except in authorized terraces.

Regarding acoustics, noise nuisances at specific locations of a minor nature are considered minor infractions, and become serious when they affect a community or occur during rest hours. The nighttime rest period is set between 23:00 and 07:00, and between 24:00 and 08:00 on Fridays, Saturdays, and eves of holidays. Construction work that generates nuisances for the neighborhood is prohibited between 21:00 and 07:00.

Peñas, animals, and shared coexistence zones

Chapter IX regulates the peñas (social clubs), prohibiting the sale of alcohol and tobacco and requiring them to keep the public roads in their area of influence clean. Public address and sound systems must stop operating at 3:30 on Fridays, Saturdays, and eves of holidays, and at 2:00 on all other days.

In the animals section, it is mandatory to immediately pick up waste and to use a leash and microchip; owners of potentially dangerous dogs are required to have civil liability insurance of at least 120,000 euros. The City Council also declares five shared coexistence zones:

• Parque de los Brigadistas, in Ronda de Caspe.
• Former Carlist fort below the Music Conservatory.
• Green area below the “La Selveta” municipal preschool.
• Bank of the Guadalope river, from the Azud to the “Camper” area below the Torreones del Muro de Santiago.
• Children’s Park of Avenida Aragón.

Mediation before sanctioning

The ordinance incorporates a mediation service for citizen conflicts, prior to judicial litigation, in which the Local Police act as a neutral third party at the request of the parties. If no agreement is reached, police arbitration allows the incident to be resolved with a binding decision, without prejudice to judicial actions.

The sanctioning procedure refers to Law 39/2015, of October 1, and Law 40/2015, of October 1, and is initiated ex officio or by a complaint filed with the Local Police. The regulation may be appealed through a contentious-administrative appeal before the Contentious-Administrative Section of the Court of First Instance of Teruel within two months of its publication.

The entry into force of the ordinance makes Alcañiz one of the municipalities in Teruel with the most detailed sanctioning framework regarding civic behavior, with a catalog ranging from neighborhood noise to school absenteeism, forced begging, or the improper use of peñas. The text prevails over other municipal ordinances in conflicts of application and repeals any regulations of equal or lower rank that oppose it, thus affecting residents, visitors, establishment owners, and those responsible for peña premises equally.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Teruel, no. 201, October 20, 2026, section I, pp. 8-45 (official reference: 2026-3039).