Create a noise action plan together with the citizens

What's the point of a noise action plan?

In many places, the background noise in cities exceeds what is considered reasonable for people. However, a noise level that is permanently too high is detrimental to our health. Wherever man-made ambient noise is generated (e.g. in conurbations, near airports, railway lines, main roads or industrial plants), noise maps and noise action plans must be drawn up by the responsible municipalities. These plans show where it is too noisy and what measures should be implemented to reduce noise and protect rooms from noise. This will benefit all affected residents. The plans are reviewed every five years and revised if necessary.

It is prescribed by law that the population be given the opportunity to participate in the preparation and review of the noise action plans. They should not only be informed, but also heard! adhocracy+ offers your municipality the possibility to make noise locations visible and to give the citizens a voice. Citizens can, for example, comment on the plans or make their own suggestions for measures. Because the population knows best which noise sources are disturbing and which should be put to the test.

Process

Here you will find a proposal for the online participation process:

1. Preparatory measures and public relations (approx. 4-6 weeks, depending on scope)
2. Setting up the project (approx. 2-3 hours)
3. Participation phase 1: citizens can submit proposals and comment on the proposals of others (approx. 3-4 weeks)   
   
4. Participation phase 2 (optional): Citizens can vote on the measures (approx. 1 week).
5. Evaluation and examination: The (most evaluated) proposals are examined by the responsible administration (several weeks, depending on the extent of participation).
6. Participation in phase 3: reflection of the results in the population and possibility of discussion (approx. 3-4 weeks).
7. Evaluation of the results (approx. 2-4 weeks, depending on the scope of participation).
   
   

Modules used by adhocracy+

Estimated effort

The effort for you as the initiator of the process (phases 1 & 2) is approx. 2-4 hours for setting up on adhocracy+ and approx. 2-8 hours/week for the moderation. Remember to allow enough time for public relations work before online participation to promote your noise action plan accordingly. Between the individual phases, the results must be summarised and processed. For larger projects with several 100 expected contributions, it may be useful to outsource the moderation to external service providers. At the end, the drafts for the plans should be available for discussion online for another 4 weeks (phase 3). Here, too, the effort is primarily spent on public relations work, moderation and evaluation (2-4 weeks).