For the purpose of this subchapter the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
A BAND LEVEL. The total sound level of all noise as measured with a sound level meter using the “A” weighing network. The unit is the dbA.
BAND PRESSURE LEVEL OF A SOUND FOR A SPECIFIED FREQUENCY BAND. The sound pressure level for the sound contained within the restricted band.
COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
(1) (a) An area where offices, clinics and the facilities needed to serve them are located.
(b) An area with local shopping and service establishments.
(c) A tourist-oriented area where hotels, motels and gasoline stations are located.
(d) A business strip along a main street containing offices, retail businesses and commercial enterprises.
(e) Other commercial enterprises and activities which do not involve the manufacturing, processing or fabrication of any commodity.
(2) COMMERCIAL DISTRICT means and includes, but is not limited to, any parcel of land zoned commercial under the zoning ordinance of the city.
CONTINUOUS NOISE. A steady, fluctuating or impulsive noise which exists, essentially without interruption, for a period of 10 minutes or more, with an accumulation of an hour or more over a period of 8 hours.
CYCLE. The complete sequence of values of a periodic quantity which occurs during a period.
DECIBEL (DB). A unit of level which denotes the ratio between 2 quantities which are proportional to power; the number of DECIBELS corresponding to the ratio of 2 amounts of power is 10 times the logarithm to the base 10 of this ratio.
DEVICE. Any mechanism which is intended to produce or which actually produces sound when operated or handled.
EMERGENCY. Any occurrence or set of circumstances involving actual or imminent physical trauma or property damage demanding immediate attention.
EMERGENCY WORK. Any work performed for the purpose of preventing or alleviating physical trauma or property damage, whether actually caused or threatened by an emergency, or work by private or public utilities when restoring utility service.
FLUCTUATING NOISE. The sound pressure level of a fluctuating noise which varies more than 6 dbA during the period of observation when measured with the slow meter characteristic of a sound level meter.
FREQUENCY OF A FUNCTION PERIODIC IN TIME. The reciprocal of the primitive period. The unit is the cycle per unit time and shall be specified.
INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT. An area in which enterprises and activities which involve the manufacturing, processing or fabricating of any commodity are located. INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT shall include, but not be limited to, any parcel of land zoned as an industrial district under the zoning ordinance of the city.
LIGHT MOTOR VEHICLE. Any automobile, motorcycle, motordriven cycle, motor scooter, light truck with gross vehicular weight of less than 8,000 pounds or any van.
MICROBAR. A unit of pressure commonly used in acoustics and is equal to 1 dyne per square centimeter.
MODIFIED EXHAUST SYSTEM. An exhaust system in which:
(1) The original noise abatement devices have been physically altered causing them to be less effective in reducing noise; or
(2) The original noise abatement devices have been either removed or replaced by noise abatement devices which are not as effective in reducing noise as the original devices; or
(3) Devices have been added to the original noise abatement devices, such that noise levels are increased.
MOTOR VEHICLE. Any vehicle such as, but not limited to, a passenger vehicle, truck, trailer, trailer or semi-trailer propelled or drawn by mechanical power, and shall include motorcycles, snowmobiles, minibikes, go-carts and any other vehicle which is self-propelled.
NOISE SENSITIVE AREA. Includes, but is not limited to, the land on which a school, hospital, nursing home, church, court, public library, or similar institution is located and the are within 250 feet of a school, hospital, nursing home, church, court, public library, or similar institution.
NUISANCE. The making, creating or causing to be made or continued of any boisterous or unreasonably loud noises which causes, constitutes or tends to provoke a disturbance and which is detrimental to the public health, safety, welfare or peace.
PERIOD OF A PERIODIC QUANTITY. The smallest increment of time for which the function repeats itself.
PERIODIC QUANTITY. Oscillating quantity, the values of which recur for equal increments of time.
PERSON. Any individual, firm, association, partnership, joint venture, or corporation.
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY. Any street, avenue, boulevard, highway, sidewalk, alley, or similar place normally accessible to the public that is owned or controlled by a government entity.
PUBLIC SPACE. Any real property or structures on real property, owned by a government entity and normally accessible to the public, including but not limited to parks and other recreational areas.
RESIDENTIAL AREA. Any real property which contains a structure or building in which 1 or more persons reside, provided that the structure or building is properly zoned, or is legally nonconforming, for residential use in accordance with the terms and maps of the city’s zoning ordinance.
RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. An area of single- or multiple-family dwellings, including areas where multiple-unit dwellings, high-rise apartments and high- density residential districts are located. RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT shall also include, but is not limited to, hospitals, nursing homes, homes for the aged, schools, courts and similar institutional facilities.
SOUND-AMPLIFYING EQUIPMENT. Any machine or device for the amplification of the human voice, music, or any other sound. SOUND-AMPLIFYING EQUIPMENT shall not include standard automobile radios when used and heard only by the occupants of the vehicle in which the automobile radio is installed. SOUND-AMPLIFYING EQUIPMENT, as used in this subchapter, shall not include warning devices on authorized emergency vehicles or horns or other warning devices on any vehicle used only for traffic safety purposes.
(Ord. 1119, passed 11-17-1986; Am. Ord. 2254, passed 12-13-2010)