Helsinki city municipal ordinance

[kontulib]

Entered in force on December 1st, 1999

1 § Scope of Application

Besides laws and statutes, this Ordinance issued to maintain public order and safety shall be observed in the City of Helsinki.

2 § Definition

All such areas, whether land or sea, which are assigned to public use or which factually, permanently or temporarily are in public use
as well as
streets, pavements, bicycle ways, market places, alleys, passageways, bridges, roads and any other areas used as a facility for public traffic are understood to be public places as per this Ordinance.

3 § Observance of Public Order and Safety

No-one shall through their conduct disturb public order, endanger others' safety or offend public decency or cause untidiness or offence in a public place.

Any unauthorized person loitering in an airport, railway station, bus station, port area, in the immediate vicinity of an off-licence or a covered pedestrian zone shall withdraw at the request of a party authorized to keep order.

(Penal Code)

4 § Consumption of Intoxicants

The consumption of intoxicants is prohibited in public places.

5 § Prostitution

Soliciting in public places is prohibited.

6 § Use of Weapons

It is prohibited to carry an uncovered weapon in a public place. This regulation does not apply to persons on duty the nature of which necessitates carrying weapons.

The use of firearms without an appropriate licence issued by the police is prohibited elsewhere but in a shooting gallery or in licenced hunting.

Carrying firearms in a public place for a purpose other than the one for which the licence has been issued is prohibited.

(Firearms Act, Firearms Enactment)

7 § Fireworks

The use of fireworks and other pyrotechnical equipment is prohibited in Senate Square and in public events among the public.

8 § Restricting Private Car Traffic in Situations of Serious Air Pollution

Private motoring shall be restricted in situations of serious air pollution as per in § 7 of the Air Protection Act, following the orders given by the Lord Mayor.

(Air Protection Act)

9 § Washing and Maintenance of Vehicles

Washing and other maintenance of vehicles is prohibited outside private grounds elsewhere than in places reserved for this purpose.

10 § Stopping and Parking Vehicles and Storage of Boats

The parking of vehicles in private grounds without the permission of the owner or the holder of the estate is prohibited. The restrictions and regulations issued by the owner or the holder of private grounds must be observed in all other respects as well. Restrictions concerning parking in private grounds must be clearly indicated. The penalty for breaking a parking prohibition in private grounds is prescribed by law.

Storing boats on city-owned shores and in other public places is permitted only in areas reserved for this purpose.

(Ground Transport Act, Road Traffic Act)

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11 § Take-Off and Landing of Aircraft

Should aircraft not in the use of public authorities take off or land in a spot which is not specifically reserved for the purpose, the police must be notified well in advance. The same applies to parachuting.

(Aviation Act)

12 § Trading in Public Places

Practicing trade and other gainful employment is allowed in traffic facilities, in ports and in other city-owned or possessed public places with the permission of the Board controlling the area in question.

However, movable sales, info or advertising equipment must not be placed in streets, market places or corresponding areas if they endanger the safety of pedestrians or obstruct the traffic or hinder necessary maintenance work.

It is not allowed to place sales or advertising equipment in the parks, if they are not an integral part of an event or other activity currently taking place in the said park.

No special permission is required to use the freedom of the press or to sell badges or otherwise collect money, if such activities are otherwise lawful or if a permit has been granted by the appropriate authorities. The same applies to passenger traffic subject to licence.

A vending machine can be placed in a public place owned or possessed by the City with the permission of the Board controlling the area.

The permission must be produced at the request of an inspecting official.

No permission is needed for musical performances in the streets.

(Laws governing Trade and Business, Collecting Money, Passenger Traffic etc.)

13 § Market Trade

Market trade and sales from boats or vehicles in or at the market places can be carried on with the permission of the Board controlling the area and during the hours and on the conditions the Board has decreed.

Farmers' right to sell their own produce is separately prescribed by law. Such trade can, however, be carried on only in places specifically assigned for the purpose.

(Trade Legislation)

14 § Advertising in Public Places

It is allowed to place advertisements, posters, decorations, notices or other objects for advertising or sales purposes in a traffic road or above it with the permission of the Real Estate Board.

It is not allowed to place objects in a public place owned or possessed by the City for purposes other than described above without a separate permission.

It is not allowed to park a vehicle in a traffic road for commercial purposes without the permission of the Real Estate Board.

15 § Removal of Advertisements

An unauthorized advertisement or one not complying with the given permission or other notice and/or related structure must be removed either by the party responsible for erecting such advertisement etc. or by his principal. The same applies to removing outdated advertisements or notices and when the allotted display time of such advertisement or notice has expired. The Real Estate Board, the police or the owner of the real estate in question can

remove an advertisement or equipment at the expense of the party responsible for erecting such advertisement etc. or his principal.

(Nature Conservation Act, Police Regulations Act)

16 § Placing Signs in Traffic Arteries

It is not allowed to place signposts in a crossing or in an intersection of a traffic road without an appropriate permission of the Real Estate Board.

Unauthorized signposts may be removed by order of the Real Estate Board or of the police.

17 § Construction Work Causing Danger or Disturbance

If equipment and other objects need to be placed in a traffic artillery because of construction or repairs, the work must be done quickly without unnecessary obstruction to the traffic. After the work has been completed the workplace must be cleared and put in order without delay.

If working in a traffic road or placing equipment thereto requires closing of the traffic road or part thereof or other traffic arrangements, the Public Works Dept. must be notified well in advance to allow time for such traffic arrangements. The instructions of the Public Works Dept. must be followed. Failing this, the Public Works Dept. have the right to make or have made the traffic arrangements or cancel any unnecessary arrangements at the expense of the constructor.

The party responsible for the work shall have necessary traffic control devices in operation order throughout the construction work. After the work has been completed, all equipment must be removed without delay and the state that prevailed prior to starting the work restored.

(Road Traffic Act, Noise Abatement Act, Explosives Act etc.)

18 § Public Nuisance

Activities likely to cause disturbing noise, dust, smoke or odour are prohibited. When construction and repair works are being done in the vicinity of residential buildings, machines and equipment must not cause more noise than necessary from 21.00 to 07.00 hrs.

Beating, brushing and dusting carpets, furniture and bedlinen is allowed on weekdays from 8.00 to 19.00 only, except for Saturdays and other days before holidays from 9.00 to 16.00 hrs.

Housing companies may make some slight individual deviations from the aforementioned regulations.

(Noise Abatement Act, Neighbour Relations Act, Public Health Act)

19 § Maintenance and Sanitation of Public Places

The streets shall be cleaned every morning or oftener if necessary. The surface shall be moistened prior to cleaning if needed. The sand that is used during the wintertime to prevent slipperiness shall be removed as early in the spring as possible, i.e. weather permitting. The same also applies to public fairways and routes as prescribed by the Maintenance of Streets and Public Areas Act

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20 § Snow Clearing and Prevention of Slipperiness

In winter, snow and ice obstructing pedestrian traffic shall be removed from the pavements in the mornings and also during the day where necessary. During snowfall, a wide enough space for pedestrians must be kept clear on the pavements.

Sand shall be dressed on the pavements each morning and also during the day if necessary to prevent slipperiness.

What the Maintenance of Streets and Public Areas Act stipulates regarding pavements also applies to certain public fairways.

Where necessary, snowdrifts shall be removed from the pavements and their sides as well as from bus and tram stops.

Snowdrifts must not be too high so as to obstruct visibility in crossroads, intersections and in pedestrian crossings.

The pavement can be used for snow storage in streets with little traffic as determined by the Public Works Board. In such circumstances pedestrian traffic will take place in the carriageway and the regulations as per Clauses 1 to 4 do not apply.

When the snow is melting, the gutters and the gullies must be kept clear to allow the meltwater run freely.

(Law governing the Maintenance of Streets and Some Public Areas)

21 § Hazardous Removal of Snow etc.

Snow and ice located on rooftops or corresponding places and which may cause damage when falling must be removed without delay. The hazardous area shall be blocked off and a guard shall be placed there should the situation so require.

In cases where it is likely that snow, ice, plastering or other matter will fall off a building, but the danger cannot be immediately eliminated, and also in connection with building, repairs, demolition or cleaning operations when matter or objects may fall down from the building, scaffolding or equipment, the traffic road and also the courtyard shall be efficiently blocked off by fixtures also visible in the darkness. In other respects, the regulations of Clause 1 apply.

(Law governing the Maintenance of Streets and Some Public Areas)

22 § Street Numbers

The owner of a building is responsible for placing a sign indicating the relevant street number in a spot visible from the street. Such number signs must be of a type approved by the Real Estate Board. In case the building is situated in a street corner, a number sign must be placed on both cornering walls. Should there be several residential buildings in one lot, a number plate shall be fastened to each building. The street numbering system is confirmed by the Real Estate Board.

The Real Estate Board can, if the circumstances so require, order that a building, situated along a traffic road other than a street be equipped with a number plate.

The number plate as per Clause 1 shall be placed:

1. By the gate or other entrance to a street or to other traffic road of a building bordering on or in the immediate vicinity of a street or other traffic road and

2. when a building or buildings do not extend to a street or to some other traffic road or to the immediate vicinity thereof, in a visible spot in the mouth of the driveway.

If there are more than one stair halls in the building, these shall be marked by letters. The apartments shall be choronologically numbered throughout the building starting from the lowest floor of stair hall A. The basement and attic storerooms shall be marked with the number of the apartment they belong to.

The street numbers and letters must be illuminated during the dark hours.

23 § Name Plates

A notice board bearing the last names of the residents and, when an apartment is used for business purposes, the company name shall be placed in the lowest floor of each stair hall in a visible spot, illuminated if necessary. The contact data of the maintenance company, the caretaker and the house manager shall be on display in the same spot or in another clearly visible place. Alternatively, there shall be a note indicating who is the responsible party in matters concerning the building.

The police shall be notified without delay of the maintenance company, the caretaker, the house manager or some other such person who can be seen as responsible for the matters concerning the building.

The above mentioned maintenance company or person must let authorities on duty enter the building free of charge and without delay.

24 § Dogs

Dogs must be kept on the lead, except in special enclosed areas the City has assigned for dog exercise and in private, enclosed areas. However, unleashed dogs shall be kept under supervision also in the aforementioned areas. (15.11.2000).

Dogs shall be kept on the lead in stair halls and yards so that people can move there safely.

Besides what has been laid down in Clause 1, the owner, holder or keeper of a dog shall see that

1. the dog cannot gain access to a sports field, a public beach, a swimming pool, a bathing establishment or to a children's playground whether public or private, to a cemetery, a market place during business hours nor to a jogging or skiing track or a skating rink,

2. the dog does not foul the pavements, lawns, gardens or yards, walls or parked vehicles,

3. the dog cannot bite or scare people, nor cause other damage or danger,

4. the dog does not cause disturbance by repeated barking or howling and

5. the dog, if not kept on the lead or in a fenced-in area wears a collar marked with the owner's name and/or telephone number.

Dog excrement shall be collected by the owner or by the person accompanying the dog.

The aforementioned regulations apply only partially to dogs on duty or dogs being trained to work for the police or some other authority. Guide dogs also enter this category.

(Penal Code, Game Act)

25 § Cats and Other Animals

What is decreed in Clause 3 of § 24 of the Game Act also concerns cats and other animals where applicable.

26 § Horses

A horse shall not be brought to a public beach, to children's playgrounds whether private or public nor to a cemetery.

Horse-back riding and driving horse-drawn vehicles is not allowed in jogging tracks or any similar running tracks, in skiing tracks maintained for public use, in a sports field and any other such sports or recreation areas that have been reserved for pedestrians, cyclers or skiers.

A horse shall not be left unattended in a public place, and where applicable, the same rules that concern dogs are valid for horses too.

The aforementioned also applies to other large animals.

27 § Apprehension of Animals

In cases other than those prescribed by the Game Act, where a house pet, either lost or otherwise appearing against the regulations of the Ordinance has been apprehended in a public place, it shall be delivered to an animal shelter without delay. Where possible, the owner or the holder of the said animal shall be notified of the apprehension without delay.

Should the owner or holder fail to claim the animal within ten days of the notification or, if such notification cannot have been delivered, within 15 days from the apprehension of the said animal, also failing to pay the expenses resulting from the apprehension and the animal's keep, the said animal can be given to the custody of a person known to be fond of animals.

(Game Act, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act).

28 § Revoking a Licence

A licence or a permit based on this Ordinance can be revoked by the authority having issued such licence or permit, if the regulations of this Ordinance have been violated or if a change in the circumstances so require.

29 § Penalty

A fine can be imposed on persons offending against this Ordinance, as prescribed by the Municipal Act § 7.

[weldordave]

It sounds as though you live in a "police state" or have no "civil rights". Welcome, you can join the downtrodden Americans(sarcastic).:lol

[kontulib]

Naah...that ordinance is not so bad :rolleyes: