Olot definitively approves the coexistence and public road ordinance

The Plenary of the Olot City Council, in an ordinary session on July 23, 2026, resolved the allegations presented and definitively approved the Municipal Ordinance on Coexistence and Public Roads. The full text was published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Girona (BOP), number 174, edict 7770, dated September 9, 2026, with the official reference BOP-2026_0_174_7770 and a total of 36 pages.

The new regulation replaces the coexistence ordinance approved by the Plenary on June 20, 2013, which is repealed upon the entry into force of the new text. According to the preamble, the evolution of social habits, the emergence of new forms of use of public space, and the experience accumulated in the application of the previous regulation make an update necessary to respond to the new challenges of the municipality’s social reality. The agreement is based on Law 7/1985, of April 2, regulating the bases of the local regime, and Legislative Decree 2/2003, of April 28, which approves the revised text of the Municipal and Local Regime Law of Catalonia.

Scope of application and object

The object of the ordinance is to preserve public space as a place of coexistence and civility, and it applies to the entire municipal district of Olot, both to public spaces (streets, squares, parks, gardens, public buildings, and urban furniture) and to private spaces when the behaviors carried out therein affect coexistence. The regulation applies to all persons found in the city, regardless of their administrative legal status.

The text incorporates a commitment to prevention and education, with municipal civic education programs aimed especially at children and youth, community mediation mechanisms, and awareness campaigns in spaces where conflict situations have been detected. At the same time, the sanctioning regime is reinforced to provide a more rigorous response to uncivil behaviors, in accordance with the principles of proportionality, necessity, and effectiveness.

Regulated behaviors

The new ordinance typifies a wide range of behaviors on public roads, among which the following stand out:

• The prohibition of begging on streets and in public spaces, especially when it is deceptive, coercive, or involves minors or persons with disabilities.
• The prohibition of consuming alcoholic beverages in public spaces outside of authorized establishments and areas, with particular severity when done in groups of three or more people or in areas frequented by minors.
• The prohibition of relieving oneself in public, with particular reprimand regarding monuments, crowded spaces, or the vicinity of public restrooms.
• The prohibition of graffiti and paintings in unauthorized locations, considered a serious offense when done on monuments or protected buildings or containing discriminatory content.
• Obligations regarding domestic animals, such as keeping them on a leash, collecting droppings, and diluting urine.
• The regulation of the use of public space, including terraces, occupations with tables and chairs, and the closing times of parks and green areas.

Sanctioning Regime

The sanctioning regime classifies offenses as minor, serious, and very serious, with fines of up to 750 euros, 1,500 euros, and 3,000 euros, respectively. The table of sanctions is collected in Annex I of the regulation, and the Local Governing Board is empowered to update and review it.

The regulation also provides for alternative or complementary measures to the financial penalty, such as the repair of damages caused or collaboration with the Municipal Brigade, municipal cleaning services, the Youth and Sports area, the Municipal Police, or the Social Welfare Consortium. In the case of minors, pecuniary sanctions may be replaced by community service, with the binding consent of parents or guardians.

The ordinance will enter into force fifteen business days after its full text has been published in the BOP of Girona. The sanctioning power corresponds to the Mayor, without prejudice to its delegation to other councilors of the Corporation.

Fuente: Official Gazette of the Province of Girona, no. 174, September 9, 2026, Local Administration section - City Councils, pp. 1-36 (official reference: BOP-2026_0_174_7770).