(A) Bells and chimes. It shall be unlawful for any person to use, operate, cause or permit to be sounded any bell or chime or any device for the production or reproduction of the sounds of bells or chimes, from any church, clock or school, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. of one day and 7:00 a.m. of the following day.
(B) Radios, television sets, phonographs and similar devices.
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to use, operate or permit to be played any radio receiving set, musical instrument, television, phonograph, drum or other machine or device for the production or reproduction of sound in such a manner as to cause to be made or continued any unnecessary noise as heard without measurement.
(2) The operation of any set, instrument, television, phonograph, machine or device at any time in such a manner as to be plainly audible at either the property line, or 25 feet in the case of a vehicle on public rights-of-way, shall be prima face evidence of a violation of this division (B).
(3) This division (B) shall not apply to any person who is participating in a school band or in a parade for which a permit has been issued by the city.
(C) Animals. No person shall keep or maintain or permit the keeping of, on any premises owned, occupied or controlled by the person, any animal or bird otherwise permitted to be kept, which by frequent or habitual howling, barking, meowing, squawking or other noise unreasonably disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood or causes discomfort or annoyance to any person.
(D) Mufflers. No person shall discharge into the open air the exhaust of any steam engine, stationary internal combustion engine, air compressor equipment, motorboat, motor vehicle or other power device, which is not equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any unnecessary noise, and no muffler or exhaust system shall be modified or used with a cutoff, bypass or similar device.
(E) Trucks. No person shall load any garbage, trash or compactor truck, or any other truck, whereby the loading, unloading or handling of boxes, crates, equipment or other objects is conducted within a residential district, nor within 300 feet of any hotel or motel, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
(F) Construction.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall engage in, cause or permit any person to be engaged in construction activities in any residential or commercial district between the hours of 9:00 p.m. of one day and 6:00 a.m. of the following day.
(2) Construction projects shall be subject to the maximum permissible noise level specified for industrial districts for the periods within which construction is to be completed pursuant to any applicable building permit.
(3) Construction activities directly connected with the abatement of an emergency are excluded from the provisions of this division (F).
(G) Power equipment rated five horsepower or less. No person shall operate or permit to be operated on private property or on the public way within any residential or commercial districts any power equipment rated five horsepower or less and used for home or building repair or grounds maintenance between the hours of 10:00 p.m. of one day and 7:00 a.m. of the next day or operate or permit to be operated between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. any power equipment which emits a noise sound pressure level in excess of 80 decibels in the “A” weighing network dB(A). The power equipment shall include, but not be limited to, lawn mowers, garden tools, snow removal equipment, electric or chain saws or any other power equipment used for home or building repair or grounds maintenance. Noise sound pressure levels shall be measured at a distance of 25 feet from the noise source.
(H) Power equipment rated more than five horsepower. No person shall operate on any property within a residential or commercial district or on any public way within a residential or commercial district, any power equipment rated more than five horsepower, excluding construction equipment used for construction activities, such as, but not limited to, chain saws, pavement breakers, log chippers, riding tractors, powered hand tools, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. of one day and 6:00 a.m. of the next day or within residential, commercial or industrial noise districts between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. which emits a noise level in excess of 88 decibels, in the “A” weighing network dB(A). Noise sound pressure levels shall be measured at a distance of 25 feet from the noise source.
(I) Sound amplifiers. The commercial and non-commercial use of sound amplifying equipment shall be subject to the following regulations.
(1) The sound amplifying equipment shall be operated only between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of each day.
(2) The maximum sound emanating from sound-amplifying equipment shall not exceed the sound pressure levels established in § 97.03 of this chapter as measured at least 25 feet from the noise source.
(3) In any event, the intensity of sound shall be so controlled that it will not be unreasonably loud, raucous, annoying, disturbing or a nuisance to any person or persons.
(4) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any bell or chime or any device for the production or reproduction of the sound of bells or chimes from any church, clock or school.
(J) Warning signals. No person shall sound any horn or signaling device on any truck, automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle on any street or highway within the city, except as a danger warning, and then only for a reasonable period of time.
(1994 Code, § 97.04) (Ord. 318, passed 5-10-1982; Ord. 16-05, passed 7-25-2016) Penalty, see § 10.99