In Trapani, citizens win in court against the mayor for his inaction in the face of nightlife chaos.

The Sicilian-Palermo Regional Administrative Court (TAR) ruled in favor of a citizens' committee. Now the municipality must take a series of steps to avoid being fined.

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Trapani

A ruling that could set a precedent for the whole of Italy regarding the chaos of nightlife and the damages that citizens of historic centers have to suffer: the TAR Sicily - Palermo Section has ruled (with a provision filed on December 26, 2025) on an appeal related to the management of the "nightlife" in the historic center of Trapani presented by a group of residents, economic operators and owners of accommodation facilities gathered in the Historic Center Committee of Trapani and has declared the inertia of the Municipality of Trapani in the management of noise pollution linked to nightlife to be illegitimate,

The practical consequence of the ruling is that the Municipality of Trapani must adopt, within 180 days, the standard measures required by law to protect against noise pollution, and in particular:

  • the adoption of an Acoustic Zoning Plan;
  • the approval of a municipal regulation for the protection from noise pollution;
  • the adaptation of local regulations (hygiene/health or municipal police) to current noise regulations.

The Palermo Regional Administrative Court (TAR) of Sicily has emphasized that nightlife cannot be managed in a regulatory vacuum or through continuous emergency measures, but requires stable governance to balance nightlife with the quality of urban life and the health of residents. If the TAR finds that the Municipality has remained inactive or has only pretended to comply, it can appoint a commissioner ad acta, that is, an external individual (a regional official, a prefect, or a technician external to the municipal administration) who will replace the Municipality and implement the requested interventions.
The Sicilian ruling is not an isolated case, and disputes over nightlife seem to always be resolved in favor of residents and against municipal administrations. The Naples Regional Administrative Court (Section IV), in a May 2025 ruling regarding noisy nightlife in the historic center (Piazza San Domenico Maggiore), ordered the City of Naples to compensate residents for the disturbance caused by nighttime noise, arguing that excessive nightlife had violated their right to health, rest, and privacy. The City will have to pay approximately €40.000 to each of the 19 applicants and adopt concrete measures to protect the livability of the neighborhood.
And in Milan, the municipality was also ordered to pay approximately €250 in compensation to residents of the Porta Venezia neighborhood, upholding the appeal of the Lazzaretto Committee, made up of several local residents.

Cover photo from www.avvenire.it

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