The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
(a) “A-weighted sound level” means the sound level in decibels as measured with the A-weighting network on a sound level meter meeting the standards set forth in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) SI.4-1983 or its successors. The unit of reporting is dBA. Sounds measured with the “A” weighting network approximate the response of human hearing when measuring sounds of low to moderate intensity without an amplified low frequency component.
(b) “Amplified sound” means the reproduction of sound from any radio, stereo, CD player, DVD player, microphone, drum, turn table, audio or visual equipment, musical instrument, sound reproduction device, sound equipment, sound amplification device, television set, exterior loudspeakers, bullhorn or any similar device.
(c) “C-weighted sound level” is the sound level in decibels as measured using the “C” weighting network with a sound level meter meeting the standards as set forth in ANSI SI.4-1983 or its successors. The unit of reporting is dBC. The “C” weighting network is more sensitive to low frequencies than the “A” weighting network.
(d) “Continuous sound” means any sound with a duration of more than one second, as measured with a sound level meter set to the “slow” meter response.
(e) “Decibel” means a logarithmic (dimensionless) unit of measure often used in describing the amplitude of sound. Decibel is denoted as dB.
(f) “Dwelling unit” means any building, boat or watercraft lawfully occupied in whole or in part as the temporary or permanent residence of one or more natural persons.
(g) “Extraneous sound” means a sound of high intensity and relatively short duration which is neither part of the ambient sound, nor comes from the sound source under investigation.
(h) “Impulsive sound” means a sound that has a duration of less than one second and comes from the sound source under investigation.
(i) “Mechanical device” means any device that transmits or modifies energy.
(j) “Noise” means, for the purposes of this chapter, any sound that is in violation of any provision of this chapter.
(k) “Noise disturbance” means any sound which is unreasonably loud, raucous, or jarring to reasonable persons of ordinary sensibilities, or any sound which affects the health, safety, or welfare of other persons, or exceeds the noise levels as defined in Section 648.11.
(l) “Plainly audible” means any sound that can be detected by a person using his or her unaided hearing faculties. Plainly audible sound does not require measurement with a sound level meter.
(m) “Public right-of-way” and “public property” means a public highway, road, street, alley, driveway, path, sidewalk, roadway or any other public place or public way, intended for the use by the public as a means of public traverse, public parks, public docks or for any other public purposes.
(n) “Real property line” means either (1) the imaginary line including its vertical extension that separates one parcel of real property from another; (2) the vertical and horizontal boundaries of a dwelling unit that is part of a multi-dwelling unit building; or (3) on a mixed-use property, the interface between the two portions of the property on which different categories of activity are being performed.
(o) “Receiving property” means real property, including but not limited to buildings, grounds, offices and dwelling unit, from which sound levels from sound sources outside such property may be measured. For purposes of this definition, individual offices or dwelling units within a building may constitute a receiving property.
(p) “Sound” means oscillations in pressure in a medium with elasticity and viscosity, such as air, that evoke auditory sensation in the human ear.
(q) “Sound generation” means any conduct, activity or operation, whether human, mechanical, electronic or other, and whether continuous, intermittent or sporadic, and whether stationary or ambulatory in nature, which produces or results in an audible sound.
(r) “Sound level meter” means any instrument that measures noise and sound levels in a specified manner and which complies with standards established by the American National Standards Institute specifications for sound level meters ANSI SI.4-1983 or its successor publications.
(s) “Sound reproduction device” means a device intended primarily for the production or reproduction of sound, including but not limited to any musical instrument, radio receiver, television receiver, tape recorder, phonograph or electronic sound amplifying system.
(t) “Total sound level” means that measured level which represents the summation of the sounds from the sound source under investigation and the ambient sounds which affect a given place at a given time, exclusive of extraneous sound sources.
(Ord. 935.08. Passed 6-2-08; Ord. 1025-11. Passed 6-13-11; Ord. 1032-11. Passed 1-9-12; Ord. 1112-15. Passed 6-8-15.)