For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
A-WEIGHTED SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL. The sound pressure level as measured with a sound level meter using the A-weighting network (the standard notation is “dB(A)” or “dBA”).
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. Any property occupied by a business, store or shop and zoned for such purpose.
DECIBEL (“dB”). A unit for measuring the volume of a sound equal to 20 times the logarithm to the base ten of the ratio of the pressure of the sound measured to the reference pressure, which is 20 micropascals (20 micronewtons per square meter).
EMERGENCY VEHICLE. Vehicles of the Police, Public Safety and Public Works Departments and legally authorized vehicles of state departments or any political subdivisions thereof and vehicles of public service corporations, fire, medical, water and sewer districts.
EMERGENCY WORK. Any work performed to prevent or alleviate physical trauma or property damage threatened or caused by an emergency which has or may result in a disruption of service and which is necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of persons or property.
EXCESSIVE NOISE. Any sound measured according to the criteria set forth in this chapter which exceeds the levels reflected in the dB Tables.
INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY. Any property occupied by land uses whose primary operation involves manufacturing, assembling, processing or otherwise treating raw materials, semi-finished products, or finished products for packaging and distribution to either wholesale or retail markets and zoned for such purpose.
LEGAL HOLIDAY. Those holidays so designated by the city in its personnel rules.
LEQ (EQUIVALENT SOUND LEVEL). The constant level that over a given period transmits to the receiver the same amount of acoustic energy as the actual time-elapsed sound.
NOISE. See SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL.
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. Any property, the dominant use of which is non-transient occupancy of residential dwelling units and zoned for such purpose.
SITE-SPECIFIC SOURCE OF SOUND. A source of sound which originates from a property even though the specific source of the sound generation may be mobile.
SOUND. Temporal and spatial oscillation in pressure, particle displacement, particle velocity, or other physical parameter in a medium with internal forces that causes progressively alternative compression and rare fraction of that medium and which propagates at finite speed to distant points and can evoke an auditory sensation.
SOUND LEVEL METER. An instrument which includes a microphone, amplifier, root mean square (“RMS”) detector, integrator or time averager, output meter, and weighting networks used to measure sound pressure levels.
SOUND PRESSURE. The instantaneous difference between the actual pressure and the average or barometric pressure at a given point in space as produced by sound energy.
SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL. Twenty times the logarithm to the base ten of the ratio of RMS sound pressure to the reference pressure of 20 micropascals (20 x 10-N/m). The SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL is denoted “Lp” or “SPL” and is expressed in decibels.
STREET. A way, existing or proposed, for vehicular traffic whether designated as a street, highway, thoroughfare, parkway, throughway, freeway, road, roadway, boulevard, avenue, lane, alley, easement, place, or however otherwise designated.
STREET, COLLECTOR. A street, existing or proposed, collecting traffic from local streets, and connecting the same with a major street, or another collector street.
STREET, LOCAL OR MINOR. A street, existing or proposed, exclusively or primarily providing access and utilities to abutting properties.
STREET, MAJOR. Such major street, highway, thoroughfare, parkway or boulevard and all section lines so designated on the county comprehensive plan.
(Ord. 1492, passed 8-18-2020)