No sooner has the pandemic allowed normal life to return than the old problems return: loud young people and complaining neighbors. In the municipality of Neuried, the topic became a political issue, also to clarify a few things: young people also have rights, partying is allowed and talking helps. In any case, the municipal councilors in the social and cultural committee rejected measures to restrict partying in the youth center (Juha).
In the municipality of Neuried there are almost paradisiacal conditions for young people. With the Juha, they have a modern, bright house with a wooden terrace and sun sail on the outskirts of the community. There is a skate park right next to it, which young people from other communities also appreciate. The house can be rented at weekends for birthday parties and other parties, adults can also celebrate their sixtieth there. The house is fully booked until after the summer holidays. With the income from the rental – graded according to age between 50 and 250 euros – youth work is financed elsewhere in the community. The money is firmly earmarked in the budget.
Not everyone can share the excitement about the party location and skate park. The quieter the evening gets, the louder the voices and jukeboxes sound. Since the pandemic has allowed celebrations again, residents on Grundstrasse have been complaining about the noise and sending emails to City Hall on Sunday evenings – to be precise, there are three residents. However, according to Mayor Harald Zipfel (SPD), they complain “massively”, so that he felt compelled to put the topic on the agenda of the Social and Cultural Committee this week.
“Many forget that they were young once.”
Youth center manager Andreas Ortlieb listed the options for reducing the volume: more control by a 450-euro employee or only allowing up to 16 years of age to rent to avoid alcohol-induced noise. He also made it clear that he is not a fan of such measures. A reduced rental goes “by the need,” he said. And the young people would have missed two years of youth during the pandemic: “Let’s give people time to be young.”
That also hit the tenor in the committee. If the partying at the youth center is reduced, it will move to another place in the community – noise also arises on the way home. “Many forget that they were once young,” said Marianne Hellbuber (CSU). Robert Hrasky (Bündnis Zukunft Neuried) pointed out that the young people had no alternative meeting places. Mayor Zipfel campaigned for the conversation to be sought. “Anyone who feels disturbed should simply go out, address the youth directly and ask for a little more peace.” That is more effective. One measure was nevertheless decided: In the future, only Neurieder will be rented out. Then at least it’s “noise from Neuriedern,” according to Zipfel.