As used in this chapter, certain terms are defined as follows:
(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) or dBA.
(b) DECIBEL means a unit for measuring the volume of 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).
(c) EMERGENCY means any occurrence or set of circumstances involving actual or imminent physical trauma or property damage or loss which demands immediate action.
(d) 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.
(e) MOTOR/ENGINE OPERATED VEHICLE means all vehicles that have the ability to move from a stationary location by means of self propulsion.
(f) NOISE means any sound which annoys or disturbs humans or which causes or tends to cause an adverse psychological or physiological effect on humans.
(g) NOISE DISTURBANCE means any sound which endangers or injures the safety or health of humans or animals; annoys or disturbs a reasonable person of normal sensitivities; or endangers or injures personal or real property.
(h) REAL PROPERTY BOUNDARY means an imaginary line along the ground surface, and its vertical extension, which separates the real property owned by one person from that owned by another person, but not including intrabuilding real property divisions.
(i) RECEIVING PROPERTY means any property which is effected by sound originating from outside its boundary lines.
(j) SOUND means an oscillation in pressure, particle displacement, particle velocity or other physical parameter, in a medium with internal or interval forces that cause compression and rarefaction on that medium, and which propagates at finite speed to distant points. The description of sound may include any characteristic of such sound, including duration, intensity and frequency.
(k) SOUND LEVEL means the weight sound pressure level obtained by the use of a sound level meter and frequency weighing network, such as A, B or C as specified in American National Standards Institute specifications for sound level meter Publication 51.4-1971, or the latest approved revision thereof. If the frequency weighting employed is not indicated, the A-weighting shall apply.
(l) SOUND LEVEL METER means an instrument, including a microphone, amplifier, RMS
detector and integrator, time averager, output meter and/or visual display and weighting networks, that is sensitive to pressure fluctuations. The instrument reads sound pressure level when properly calibrated and is of type two or better as specified in American National Standards Institute Publication 51.4-1971 or the latest approved revision thereof.
(Ord. 2857, passed 3-21-11)