Chapter 48 – Noise Pollution

CHAPTER 48 NOISE POLLUTION 48.01 Purpose 48.06 Sound Equipment and Amplifying Equipment 48.02 Definitions 48.07 Use of Sound Equipment for Commercial 48.03 Application Advertising Prohibited 48.04 Maximum Noise Standards by Zoning Districts 48.08 Administration and Enforcement 48.05 Prohibited Activities 48.09 Violation 48.01 PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards for the control of noise pollution in the City by setting maximum permissible sound levels for zoning districts and also for various activities, regardless of the zoning district, in order to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare. 48.02 DEFINITIONS. As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: 1. “Amplified sound” means sound that is increased in intensity and duration by electrical, electronic, mechanical, or other nonhuman means. 2. “A-weighted sound level” means the sound pressure level in decibels as measured on a sound level meter using the A-weighting network. The level is designated dB(A) or dBA. 3. “Decibel” (dB) means a logarithmic and dimensionless unit of measure used in describing the amplitude of sound, equal to 20 times the logarithm to the base-10 of the ratio of the pressure of the sound measured to the reference pressure, which is 20 micropascals (20 micronewtons per square meter). 4. “Noise” means the intensity, duration, and character of sounds from any and all sources. 5. “Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, governmental body, state, or other entity whatsoever. 6. “Plainly audible noise” means any noise for which the information content of the noise is transferred to the listener, such as (but not limited to) understanding of spoken speech, comprehension of whether a voice is raised or lowered, or comprehension of musical rhythms. 7. “Powered model vehicle” means any self-propelled airborne, waterborne or land-borne model plane, vessel or vehicle not designed to carry persons, including (but not limited to) any model airplane, boat, car or rocket. 8. “Public place” means any street, avenue, boulevard, highway, sidewalk or alley or similar place owned or controlled by the City, including any structure or park. 9. “Real property boundary” means an imaginary line along the ground surface and its vertical extension, which separates the real property owned by one person from that owned by another person, but not including intra-building real property divisions. 10. “Sound level” means the weighted sound pressure level obtained by the use of a sound level meter and frequency weighting network, such as A, B or C as specified in American National Standards Institute specifications for sound level meters (ANSI 51.4-1971, or the latest approved revision thereof). If the frequency weighting employed is not indicated, the A- weighting applies.