531.11  FIXED SOURCE NOISE LEVELS.
   (a)   Except as provided for in subsection (b) hereof, in Zoning Districts R-1 and R-2, and on and after a date six months after the effective date of this section, in Zoning Districts C-1 and C-2 on and after a date twelve months after the effective date of this section, and in Zoning Districts M-1 and M-2, on and after a date eighteen months after the effective date of this section, no person shall operate any fixed machinery or equipment, or similar mechanical device or otherwise create any noise which would cause the noise level measured at the property line of the property affected by the noise emission to exceed the applicable fixed noise level in this chapter.  Noise limits shall not exceed the following:
 
Zoning         Time          Sound
District      Period          level dbA
Residential      any time      60
Commercial      any time      65
Manufacturing      any time      75
unless such person has filed an application for variance in accordance with the provisions of Section 531.15.  If the measurement location is on a boundary between two zoning districts, the lower sound level shall apply.
   (b)   The provisions of subsection (a) hereof shall not be applicable to any emergency signaling devices required by law, nor to any standby equipment operated only in emergency situations if to make them conform to these regulations would make it or them less than an emergency device or unable to work in an emergency situation and it is not practicable or possible to make it or them conform to these regulations.
   (c)   Existing manufacturing entities located adjacent to residential or commercial districts shall meet the provisions of M-1 and M-2 sound levels, provided, however, the measurement shall be measured at the property line of the affected property.
(Ord. 1-91.  Passed 8-26-91.)