(A) For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
(B) The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of these regulations, and, unless otherwise specified herein, the acoustical terminology shall be in conformance with the definitions and provisions contained in the document designated by A.N.S.I. Standard SI.1-1960, or most recent version.
A-WEIGHTING. Prescribed frequency response provided in a sound level meter defined by A.N.S.I. Standard SI.4-1983.
AMBIENT NOISE. The all encompassing noise associated with given environment, being usually a composite of sounds from many sources near and far.
A.N.S.I. American National Standards Institute or its successor bodies.
BOUNDARY. The line of demarcation which separates the real property owned by one person from that owned by another person.
CIRCULATION DEVICE. Any device which circulates a gas or fluid including any air conditioner, fan, blower or pump.
COMMERCIAL LOT. All property which is used primarily for the sale of merchandise or goods, or for the performance of a service, or for office or clerical work.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES. The on-site erection; fabrication; installation; alteration; demolition or removal of any structure, facility, highway, sewer, public utility; or all related activities including, but not restricted to, clearing of land, earth moving, blasting, landscaping and tree trimming.
CONTINUOUS NOISE. Any noise from a source which is constant, and unvarying in level, or at least in a range of no more than three dB over the course of at least 15 minutes.
FREQUENCY. The repetitive rate at which sound or vibration is occurring; subjectively, the pitch of an audible tone.
dB(A). Unit of sound pressure level in decibels obtained by the use of the A-weighting filter as specified in A.N.S.I. Standard SI.4-1983.
DECIBEL (dB). Unit of sound pressure level; a logarithmic unit of amplitude which denotes the ratio of two sound pressures.
DWELLING UNIT. A room or group of rooms located within any dwelling and forming a single habitable unit with facilities for living and sleeping.
EMERGENCY WARNING DEVICE. Any gong, siren, whistle, horn or similar device that is designed to be used to warn of the exposure of any human being or property to danger.
EMERGENCY WORK. Work made necessary to restore property to a safe condition following a public calamity or work required to protect persons from danger to health or safety.
FAST RESPONSE. The dynamic characteristics of a sound level meter as defined in A.N.S.I. Standard SI.4-1983.
FREQUENCY RESPONSE. The output of a system resulting from a stimulus of a periodic function with varying frequencies.
GROSS COMBINATION WEIGHT RATING (GCWR). Value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a combination vehicle.
GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR). Value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single vehicle.
GROUND VIBRATION. Any internally or externally generated vibration from one property which propagates through the ground and crosses a real property line.
HERTZ (Hz). Unit of sound frequency, also known as cycles per second.
IMPULSIVE NOISE. A noise characterized by brief excursions of less than one half second, of which the A-weighted sound pressure level exceeds the ambient noise level by more than five dB(A), when measured by a sound level meter on fast response.
IMPULSIVE VIBRATION. Vibration resulting from an impact source, including, but not limited to, pile driving, stamping presses or blasting.
INDUSTRIAL LOT. Any property which is used primarily for manufacturing or processing, or for an airport.
MICROPHONE LINE. An unmarked reference line running parallel to a motor vehicle path and passing through the microphone.
MICROPHONE POINT. An unmarked location in the center of the lane of travel that is closest to the microphone.
MIXED LOT. Property on which two or more combinations of residential, commercial or industrial use occurs.
MOTORCYCLE. Every motor vehicle having a saddle for the use of riders and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground, including motorized bicycles and powered scooters.
MOTOR VEHICLE. Any device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway which is self-propelled except vehicles which move upon or are guided by a track or travel by rail which are used only for intra-state public transportation.
MULTI-FAMILY DWELLING. A dwelling containing more than one dwelling unit.
NOISE. The intensity, duration, frequency and character of vibration or sounds from a source or number of sources, including, but not limited to, sounds and vibrations of subaudible frequencies.
NOISE LEVEL. For the purposes of this chapter, has the same meaning as SOUND LEVEL; the two terms may be used interchangeably herein.
NOISE SOURCE. Any place, facility, product, machine, vehicle, equipment or appliance, or activity, stationary or mobile, from or by reason of which there is emitted noise.
NON-IMPULSIVE NOISE. Any noise that is not characterized by brief excursions of less than one-half second (such as, impulsive noise).
OCTAVE BAND. An interval of sound or vibration having a basic frequency ratio of two. The preferred series of octave bands for acoustic measurements covers the audible range in ten bands whose center frequencies are 31.5, 63, 125, 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, 8,000 and 16,000 Hz.
OWNER. A person who alone or jointly or severally with others has title to real or personal property, either with or without possession, or has charge, care or control of the real or personal property either as agent or trustee of the person who has title to the real or personal property or as administrator, administratrix, executor, executrix, guardian of the estate of the owner of the real or personal property, or is the lessor, lessee or mortgagee in possession of the real or personal property.
PERSON. Any individual, public, or private corporation for profit or non-profit, association, partnership, firm, trust, estate, city, borough, township, authority or other legal entity whatsoever which is recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties.
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY. Every road, way or place of whatever nature open to the use of the public as a matter of right for purposes of travel.
PURE TONE. A single adjacent third octave band levels by:
(a) Five decibels or more for frequency sound which, when measured on a third octave or narrowband sound analyzer, is greater than the arithmetic average of two bands with center frequencies of 500 and above;
(b) Eight decibels or more for frequency bands center frequencies of 160 to 400 Hz; and
(c) Ten decibels or more for frequency bands with center frequencies of 25 to 125 Hz.
REFERENCE NOISE LEVEL. The noise levels identified in Table 1.
REFUSE VEHICLES. A motor vehicle designed to compact and/or transport refuse.
RESIDENTIAL LOT. All property on which people live and sleep, or parkland, hospitals, schools or nursing homes, or that which is not commercial or industrial or the individual lots within a mobile home park assigned by the owner of the park.
SOUND. An audible oscillation of pressure in air.
SOUND ANALYZER. A device for measuring sound or vibration as a function of frequency. Octave and third octave sound analyzers shall conform to Class II or better as specified in A.N.S.I. Standard SI.11-1983.
SOUND LEVEL. A frequency weighted sound pressure level obtained by the use of metering characteristics and the weightings A, B or C, as specified in A.N.S.I. Standard SI.4-1983.
SOUND LEVEL METER. Any instrument, including a microphone amplifier, an output meter and frequency weighting for the measurement of sound levels in a manner which complies with or exceeds Type 1 (for time varying and impulsive noise) and Type 2 (for measurement of steady, continuous noises only) standards established in the A.N.S.I. Standard S1.4-1983.
SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL (SPL). Twenty times the logarithm to the base ten of the ratio of the pressure of sound to the reference pressure. For the purposes of this standard, the reference pressure shall be 20 Pa.
STATIONARY MOTOR VEHICLE. Any motor vehicle which has an operable motor or engine, and is either in driveable or undriveable condition, and is temporarily or permanently parked or otherwise situated at a fixed position on either public or private parking areas, grounds or rights-of-way.
THIRD OCTAVE BAND. An interval of sound or vibration having a basic frequency ratio of two raised to the one-third power.
TIME VARYING NOISE. Any noise from a source which varies in level more than 3dB over an observation period of at least five minutes.
VIBRATION. A spatial oscillation of displacement, velocity and acceleration in solid material.
VIBRATION, EXTERNAL. Vibrations in a building caused by sources located beyond the boundary line of the property on which the building is located.
VIBRATION, INTERNAL. Vibrations in a building caused by sources located either inside the structure or within the boundary line of the property on which the building is located.
(Prior Code, § VII-5.02)