Torredonjimeno approves the ordinance for citizen coexistence and protection of urban space

The City Council of Torredonjimeno (Jaén) has definitively approved the Ordinance for the Guarantee of Citizen Coexistence and the Protection of Urban Space, which classifies uncivil behaviors committed in public spaces as administrative infractions. The regulation, which received no claims during its processing, is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Jaén number 160, dated August 19, 2026, on page 12832, under reference 2026/3802.

The ordinance was provisionally approved by the Plenary in a session held on May 28, 2026 and, as no allegations were formulated, the agreement is understood to be definitively adopted. The text, signed by Mayor Enrique José Castro Tárraga on August 4, 2026, is based on the municipal autonomy recognized in Article 137 of the Spanish Constitution and in Articles 139 to 141 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, Regulating the Bases of Local Regime, which authorize city councils to classify infractions and impose sanctions for the breach of duties in public spaces.

Scope of Application and Structure

The regulation applies to the entire municipal district of Torredonjimeno and protects assets of public use or service owned by the municipality, as well as those of other administrations and entities, facades, and urban elements visible from public roads. It is binding for all persons within the municipality and also extends to the conduct of minors, whose infractions shall be the joint responsibility of their fathers, mothers, or legal guardians.

The text is organized into three titles: the first contains the general provisions and principles of coexistence; the second establishes the rules of conduct in public spaces, infractions, and sanctions; and the third regulates the sanctioning regime, precautionary measures, and the statute of limitations.

Classified Behaviors and Sanctions

Title II is divided into six chapters addressing the visual degradation of the environment, the cleanliness of public spaces, leisure activities, unauthorized services, vandalistic attitudes and the occupation of public domain, and inappropriate uses of space. Among the prohibited behaviors, the following stand out:

• Graffiti, paintings, and graphic expressions on any element of the public space, except for artistic murals authorized by the City Council.
• Throwing waste onto public roads, relieving oneself in public, or depositing garbage outside of the established containers and schedules.
• The sale or dispensing of alcoholic beverages for consumption outside of establishments and the home delivery of beverages.
• The persistent or intimidating offering of unsolicited services, such as tarot, clairvoyance, or vehicle watching.
• The occupation of public domain without a qualifying title and the deterioration of urban furniture, monuments, trees, and parks.

Sanctions are graded according to severity: minor infractions for graffiti are fined from 80 to 750 euros, and serious infractions, when carried out on monuments or listed buildings, from 750.01 to 1,500 euros. In the chapter on vandalistic behavior, very serious infractions, when damages exceed 150,000 euros, reach fines of 1,500.01 to 3,000 euros.

Sanctioning regime and appeals

The Local Police are responsible for ensuring compliance with the ordinance, reporting contrary conduct, and adopting precautionary measures, such as the removal and seizure of the materials used. Sanctions are imposed by the Mayor’s Office, and the imposition of fines is compatible with the obligation to restore damaged assets to their original state and with compensation for damages and losses caused.

Against the final approval agreement, an optional appeal for reversal may be filed before the same body within one month, or a contentious-administrative appeal before the High Court of Justice of Granada within two months. The ordinance will enter into force once definitively approved by the Plenary, its full text published in the BOP of Jaén, and the period provided for in article 65.2 of Law 7/1985 has elapsed.

The new regulation provides the municipality with a homogeneous instrument to preserve the public space as a place of meeting and coexistence, and reinforces the capacity of the City Council of Torredonjimeno to act against uncivil behaviors that most affect the quality of life of the residents, with a proportionate sanctioning regime and damage repair measures.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Jaén, number 160, August 19, 2026, Local Administration, page 12832 (official reference: 2026/3802).