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A. Noise Standards for Residential Units. No person shall operate or cause to be operated within a residential unit. any source of sound, or allow the creation of any noise, that causes the noise level when measured inside a neighboring receiving residential unit to exceed the following standards:
1. Standard No. 1. The applicable interior noise level for cumulative period of more than five minutes in any hour;
2. Standard No. 2. The applicable interior noise level plus five dB for a cumulative period of more than one minute in any hour; or
3. Standard No. 3. The applicable interior noise level plus ten dB for any period of time.
B. Interior Noise Levels for Multi-Family Residential. The following interior noise levels shall apply within multi-family dwellings with windows in their normal seasonal configuration.
Noise Zone | Designated Land Use | Time Interval | Allowable Interior Noise Level(dBl |
All | Multi-family Residential | 10:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m. 7:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. | 40 45 |
If the measured ambient noise level reflected by the L50 exceeds that permissible within the interior noise standards in subsection A above. the allowable interior noise level shall be increased in five dB increments to reflect the ambient noise level (L5„ ).
(Ord. 182 § 2 (part), 1997)
For any source of sound that emits a pure tone or impulsive noise, the allowed noise levels provided in Sections 1 6.30.090 (Exterior Noise Standards) and 16.30.100 (Interior Noise Standards for Multi-family Residential) shall be reduced by five decibels.
(Ord. 182 § 2 (part). 1997)
A. A-weighting Scale. The noise level shall be measured at a position(s) at any point on the receiver's property utilizing the A-weighting scale of the sound-level meter and the slow meter response (use fast response for impulsive type sounds). Calibration of the measurement equipment, utilizing an acoustic calibrator, shall be performed immediately prior to recording any noise data.
B. Microphone Location. The microphone shall be located four to five feet above the ground and ten feet or more from the nearest reflective surface except in those cases where another elevation is deemed appropriate.
C. Interior Noise. Interior noise measurements shall be made within the affected residential unit. The measurements shall be made at a point at least four feet from the wall, ceiling or floor nearest the noise source, with windows in the normal seasonal configuration.
(Ord. 182 § 2 (part), 1997)
The following acts are a violation of this chapter.
A. Construction Noise.
1. Operating or causing the operation of tools or equipment used in construction, drilling, repair, alteration, or demolition work between weekday hours of eight p.m. and seven a.m., or at any time on Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays so that the sound creates a noise disturbance across a residential or commercial property line, except for emergency work of public service utilities.
2. Construction activities shall be conducted in a manner that the maximum noise levels at the affected structures will not exceed those listed in the following schedule:
a. Residential Structures:
1) Mobile Equipment. Maximum noise levels for nonscheduled, intermittent, short-term operation (less than ten days) of mobile equipment:
Single-family Residential | Multi-family Residential | Commercial | |
Daily, except Sundays and legal holidays, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. | 75 dBA | 80 dBA | 85 dBA |
Daily, 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and all day Sunday and legal holidays | 60 dBA | 64 dBA | 70 dBA |
2) Stationary Equipment. Maximum noise level for repetitively scheduled and relatively long-term operation periods (three days or more) of stationary equipment:
Single-family Residential | Multi-family Residential | Commercial | |
Daily, except Sundays and legal holidays, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. | 60 dBA | 65 dBA | 70 dBA |
Daily, 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and all day Sunday and legal holidays | 50 dBA | 55 dBA | 60 dBA |
b. Business Structures. Maximum noise levels for nonscheduled, intermittent, short-term operation of mobile equipment: daily. including Sundays and legal holidays, all hours: maximum of eighty-five (85) dBA.
3. All mobile or stationary internal combustion engine powered equipment or machinery shall be equipped with suitable exhaust and air-intake silencers in proper working order.
B. Loading and Unloading Operations. Loading, unloading, opening, closing or other handling of boxes. crates, containers, building materials, garbage cans or similar objects between the hours of ten p.m. and six am. in a manner to cause a noise disturbance is prohibited.
C. Noise Disturbances in Noise-Sensitive Zones. Creating or causing the creation of a noise disturbance within a noise-sensitive zone is prohibited, provided that conspicuous signs are displayed indicating the presence of the zone. Noise-sensitive zones shall be indicated by the display of conspicuous signs in at least three separate locations within five hundred (500) feet of the institution or facility (e.g., health care facility)
D. Places of Public Entertainment. Operating, playing, or permitting the operation or playing of a radio, television. phonograph, drum, musical instrument, sound amplifier or similar device that produces, reproduces, or amplifies sound in a place of public entertainment at a sound level greater than ninety-five (95) dBA, (read by the slow response on a sound level meter) at any point that is normally occupied by a customer is prohibited, unless conspicuous signs are located near each public entrance stating, "Warning: Sound Levels Within May Cause Hearing Impairment."
E. Emergency Signaling Devices.
1. The intentional sounding or permitting the sounding outdoors of an emergency signaling device, including fire, burglar or civil defense alarm, siren, whistle, or similar stationary emergency signaling device, except for emergency purposes or for testing is prohibited.
2. Testing of a stationary emergency signaling device shall not occur before seven a.m. or after seven p.m. Testing shall use only the minimum cycle test time. Test time shall not exceed sixty (60) seconds. Testing of the complete emergency signaling system, including the functioning of the signaling device, and the personnel response to the signaling device, shall not occur more than once in each calendar month. Testing shall not occur before seven a.m. or after ten p.m.
3. Sounding or permitting the sounding of an exterior burglar or fire alarm, or motor vehicle burglar alarm
is prohibited, unless the alarm is terminated within fifteen (15) minutes of activation.
F. Stationary Nonemergency Signaling Devices. Sounding or permitting the sounding of an electronically amplified signal from a stationary bell, chime, siren. whistle, or similar device intended primarily for nonemergency purposes, from any place, for more than ten consecutive seconds in any hourly period is prohibited.
G. Refuse Collection Vehicles.
1. Operating or permitting the operation of the compacting mechanism of any motor vehicle that compacts refuse and that creates, during the compacting cycle, a sound level in excess of eighty-six (86) dBA when measured at fifty (50) feet from any point of the vehicle is prohibited.
2. Collecting refuse, or operating or permitting the operation of the compacting mechanism of any motor vehicle that compacts refuse between the hours often p.m. and six a.m. the following day in a residential area or noise-sensitive zone is prohibited.
H. Sweepers and Associated Equipment. Operating or permitting the operation of sweepers or associated sweeping equipment (i.e., blowers) between the hours often p.m. and six a.m. the following day in, or adjacent to, a residential area or noise-sensitive area is prohibited.
I. Residential Air Conditioning.or Refrigeration Equipment. Operating or permitting the operation of air conditioning or refrigeration equipment in a manner that exceeds the following sound levels is prohibited:
Measurement Location | Maximum Noise level |
Any point on neighboring property line, five feet above grade level, no closer than three feet from any wall. | 55 |
Center of neighboring patio, five feet above grade level, no closer than three feet from any wall. | 50 |
Outside the neighboring living area window nearest the equipment location, not more than three feet from the window opening, but at least three feet from any other surface. | 50 |
J. Vehicle or Motorboat Repairs and Testing. Repairing, rebuilding, modifying or testing any motor vehicle, motorcycle or motorboat in a manner as to cause a noise disturbance across property lines or within a noise-sensitive zone is prohibited.
K. Vibration. Operating or permitting the operation of any device that creates vibration that is above the vibration perception threshold of an individual at or beyond the property boundary of the source if on private property, or at one hundred fifty (150) feet from the source if on a public space or public right-of-way is prohibited. The perception threshold shall be a motion velocity of 0.01 in/sec over the range of 1 to 100 Hertz.
(Ord. 610-24 § 6, 2024; Ord. 544 § 3, 2019; Ord. 182 §2 (part), 1997)
Modifications to the requirements of this chapter may be granted by the director for a period of up to two years, subject to any terms, conditions, or requirements to minimize adverse effects on the surrounding neighborhood reasonable. Modifications may be granted only if one of the following findings can be made:
A. Additional time is necessary for the applicant to alter or modify the activity, operation, or noise source to comply with this chapter: or
B. The activity, operation, or noise source cannot feasibly be done in a manner that would comply with the provisions of this chapter. and no other reasonable alternative is available to the applicant.