The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning. All terminology used in this chapter which is not defined below shall be in conformance with the applicable publications of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI S1.1 1960 R 1971 and its revisions) or its successor body.
(a) "A-weighted sound level" means the sound pressure level in decibels as measured on a sound level meter using the A-weighting network. The level so read is designated dB(A).
(b) "Ambient noise" means the all-encompassing noise associated with a given environment, being usually a composite of sounds from many sources near and far.
(c) "Construction operation" means the erection, repair, renovation, demolition or removal of any building or structure, and the excavation, filling, grading and regulation of lots in connection therewith.
(d) "Decibel (dB)" means a unit for measuring the sound pressure level.
(e) "Emergency" means any occurrence or set of circumstances involving actual or imminent physical trauma or property damage.
(f) "Emergency work" means any work performed for the purpose of preventing or alleviating the physical trauma or property damage threatened or caused by an emergency.
(g) "Impulsive sound" means a sound of short duration, usually less than one second, with an abrupt onset and rapid decay. Examples of impulsive sound include explosions, drop forge impacts and the discharge of firearms.
(h) "Muffler" or "sound dissipative device" means a device designed or used for decreasing or abating the level of sound escaping from an engine or machinery system.
(i) "Noise" means any sound which annoys or disturbs humans or which causes or tends to cause an adverse psychological or physiological effect on humans.
(j) "Noise disturbance" means any sound which:
(1) Endangers or injures the safety or health of humans or animals;
(2) Annoys or disturbs a reasonable person of normal sensitivities;
(3) Endangers or injures personal or real property; or
(4) Is in excess of the sound levels established in this chapter.
(k) "Person" means any individual, association, partnership or corporation, and includes any officer, employee, department, agency or instrumentality of a state or any political subdivision of a state. Whenever used in any clause prescribing and imposing a penalty, "person" includes the individual members, partners, officers and managers, or any of them, of partnerships and associations, and, as to corporations, the officers and managers thereof, or any of them.
(l) "Powered model vehicle" means any self-propelled airborne, waterborne or landborne plane, vessel or vehicle, which is not designed to carry persons, including, but not limited to, any model airplane, boat, car or rocket.
(m) "Public right of way" means any street, avenue, boulevard, highway, sidewalk, alley or similar place which is owned or controlled by a governmental entity.
(n) "Public space" means any real property or structures thereon which are owned or controlled by a governmental entity.
(o) "Pure tone" means any sound which can be heard as a single pitch or a set of single pitches. For purposes of this chapter, a pure tone shall exist if the one-third octave band sound pressure level in the band with the tone exceeds the arithmetic average of the sound pressure levels of the two contiguous octave bands by 5dB for center frequencies of 500 Hz and above, by 8dB for center frequencies between 160 and 400 Hz, and by 15dB for center frequencies less than or equal to 125 Hz.
(p) "Property line (boundary)" means an imaginary line drawn through the points of contact of adjoining lands, apartments, condominiums, townhouses and duplexes owned, rented or leased by different persons, a demarcation or a line of separation of properties, and, also, for any two or more buildings sharing common grounds, the line drawn midway between any two such buildings. All areas devoted to public rights of way shall be deemed to be across the property line. For purposes of this chapter, a property line includes all points on a plane formed by projecting the property line in a manner deemed appropriate by the enforcing police officer.
(q) "Real property" means all land, whether publicly or privately owned, whether improved or not improved, with or without structures, exclusive of any area devoted to public rights of way.
(r) "Sound" means an oscillation in pressure, particle displacement, particle velocity or other physical parameter, in a medium with internal forces that cause compression and rarefaction of that medium, or the superposition of such propagated oscillation which evokes an auditory sensation. The description of sound may include any characteristics of such sound, including duration, intensity and frequency.
(s) "Sound level" means the weighted sound pressure level obtained by the use of a sound level meter and frequency weighting network, such as A, B or C, as specified in American National Standards Institute specifications for sound level meters (ANSI S1.4-1971, or the latest revision thereof). If the frequency weighting employed is not indicated, the A-weighting shall apply.
(t) "Sound level meter" means an instrument which includes a microphone, amplifier, RMS detector, integrator or time average, output meter and any applicable weighting network used to measure sound pressure levels which meet or exceed the requirement for a Type I or Type II sound level meter as specified in ANSI Specification S1.4-1971. The manufacturer's published indication of compliance with such specifications shall be prima-facie evidence of such compliance.
(u) "Zoning districts" means the land use districts established by the Zoning Code, and all subsequent amendments thereto.
(Ord. 2264. Passed 4-17-00.)