For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
“A” WEIGHTING SCALE. The sound pressure level, in decibels, as measured with the sound level meter using the “A” weighted network (scale). The standard unit notation is dB(A).
AMBIENT BASE NOISE LEVEL. The average sound pressure level in dB(A) during a reasonable period of time, as determined by employing a sound level meter as described in § 91.04 and excluding impulsive sounds, or, the sound normally present at a location when a sound source under investigation is not in operation.
ANSI. American National Standards Institute or its successor bodies.
CONSTRUCTION. On-site erection, fabrication, installation, alteration, demolition, or removal of any structure, facility, or addition thereto, including all related activities, including, but not restricted to, clearing the land, earth moving, blasting, and landscaping.
DAYTIME HOURS. Seven a.m. until 11:00 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday. For the days of Friday and Saturday, daytime hours are defined as 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 am. (DAYTIME HOURS do not apply to high impact land use facilities defined and regulated hereunder.)
dB(A). Sound level in decibels determined by the “A” weighting scale of a standard sound level meter having characteristics defined by the American National Standards Institute, Publication ANSI, SI.4-1971, for a Type 2 instrument.
DECIBEL (DB). A unit of measure, on a logarithmic scale, of the ratio of the magnitude of a particular sound pressure to a standard reference pressure.
EMERGENCY WORK. Work made necessary to restore property to a safe condition, work required to protect, provide, or prevent persons or property from danger or potential danger, or work by private or public utilities when restoring utility service.
HIGH IMPACT LAND USE (HILU). Land use that may, by its very nature, produce objectionable (and even unsafe) levels of noise, odors, vibrations, fumes, light, smoke, and/or other impacts upon the lands adjacent to them. Such HILU shall include, but not be limited to, the following.
(1) Construction and demolition landfill. A disposal site for solid waste resulting from construction, remodeling, repair, or demolition operations on pavement, buildings, or other structures, including, but not limited to, such as may be contributed by the county, the state’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and/or the state’s Department of Transportation.
(2) Drag strip and/or race track. A facility purposed for the conducting of races of human-operated machines (e.g., automobiles, go-carts, lawnmowers, motorcycles, and the like.)
(3) Sanitary landfill. A disposal facility or part of a facility where waste is placed in or on land and that is not a land treatment facility, surface impoundment, an injection well, a hazardous waste long-term storage facility, or a surface storage facility; a sanitary landfill facility is for solid waste disposal in a sanitary manner in accordance with the rules concerning sanitary landfills adopted pursuant to G.S. Ch. 130A, Art. 9.
(4) Swine farm. A tract of land devoted to raising 200 or more animals of the porcine species.
(5) Waste processing facilities. Includes incinerator, composting facility, household hazardous waste facility, waste-to-energy facility, transfer stations, reclamation facility, or any other locations where solid wastes are consolidated, temporarily stored, salvaged, or otherwise processed prior to being transported to a final disposal site.
HILU DAYTIME HOURS. Eight a.m. until 10:00 p.m. from Monday through Thursday. For Fridays, HILU DAYTIME HOURS are defined as 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. For Saturdays, DAYTIME HOURS are defined as 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. For Sundays, HILU DAYTIME HOURS are defined as 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
HILU NIGHTTIME HOURS. One minute after 10:00 p.m. beginning Monday and ending 7:59 a.m. Friday. For Friday nights, NIGHTTIME is defined as 11:01 p.m. until 8:59 a.m. Saturday. For Saturday nights, NIGHTTIME is defined as 11:01 p.m. until 9:59 a.m. Sunday.
NIGHTTIME HOURS. One minute after 11:00 p.m. until 6:59 a.m. from Sunday through Thursday. For the nights of Friday and Saturday, NIGHTTIME is defined as 12:01 a.m. until 6:59 a.m. (NIGHTTIME HOURS do not apply to high impact land use facilities defined and regulated hereunder.)
NUISANCE NOISE. Any excessive or unusually loud sound or any sound which disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood or which does annoy, disturb, injure, or endanger the comfort, repose, health, peace, or safety of any person or causes damage to property or business.
SOUND LEVEL. In decibels, a weighted sound pressure level determined by the use of a sound level meter whose characteristics and frequency weightings are specified in ANSI standards.
SOUND LEVEL METER. Any instrument certified to meet or exceed ANSI standards which include an omnidirectional microphone, an amplifier, an output meter, and frequency weighting network(s) for the measurement of sound level.
SOUND-MAGNIFYING DEVICE. Any device or machine for the magnification of a human voice, music, or any other sound. SOUND-MAGNIFYING DEVICE shall not include emergency warning devices on police, fire, ambulance, or other emergency vehicles.
SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL. In decibels, 20 times the logarithm to the base ten of the ratio of the magnitude of a particular sound pressure to the standard reference pressure. The standard reference pressure is 0.0002 microbars.
(Ord. passed 1-3-2011)