European lawmakers have endorsed the suggested initiative.
In the heart of Berlin, the bustling Rummelsburger Bucht water area, teeming with pedestrians, sports enthusiasts, and houseboats, is facing a contentious issue. A new mooring regulation, issued in the summer of 2024, has sparked debate, with many residents and stakeholders expressing concerns.
Christian Patrick Doetsch, a houseboat resident, understands the Senate's and the police's concerns regarding junk boats. However, he believes the new regulation is targeting the wrong people. The regulation aims to address illegal permanent mooring, restricting general usability of water surfaces, hindering public use, and leading to hazards and environmental pollution.
The Senate Department of Transport, however, lacks information on the number of mooring spots and their occupancy. The Senate particularly wishes for a complete anchoring ban on the Rummelsburger See. This could potentially disproportionately burden the houseboat residents in the Rummelsburger Bucht, as stated by Doetsch.
The developments in the bay have been significant in recent years. The Rummelsburger Bucht has undergone development, resulting in the construction of high-priced apartments and the establishment of Ocean Berlin, an aquarium and hotel. Stylish new buildings line the Rummelsburger shore and the Stralauer Peninsula opposite.
The Spreepublik association, which represents the interests of water residents and cultural barge operators in the Rummelsburger Bucht, is fighting against the new regulation and the threat of a complete anchoring ban. The association has organised events and information stands in the bay since last summer and has improved understanding with neighbouring land residents.
The problem of unmanned boats in the bay is a concern, with worries about abandoned and no longer in use boats, referred to as "junk boats". Under the new regulation, boats without a fixed mooring spot on the shore and anchored in the Rummelsburger See must always have someone on board to supervise the boat.
The developments have led to displacement of former residents, with some being violently evicted. If the federal government extends the anchoring ban to the currently valid exceptions in two years, houseboat residents may have no choice but to relocate to land or leave Berlin.
A non-public hearing is planned for late September to mid-October for the court to inspect the situation in the bay. The person representing the legal dispute against the new regulatory concept for anchoring in the Rummelsburger See before the Berlin administrative courts is not publicly specified.
The water residents want to prevent a complete anchoring ban on the lake at all costs and are thinking about solutions for social problems on the water, such as bringing social work onto the lake. The Spreepublik association is determined to find a balance between safety, development, and the rights of the houseboat residents.
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