As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have
the meanings indicated:
A-WEIGHTED SOUND-PRESSURE LEVEL
The sound-pressure level as measured on a sound-level meter using
the A-weighting decibel network. The level so read shall be designated "dB(A)."
CITY
The City of Scranton.
CONSTRUCTION OPERATION
Any erection, repair, renovation, demolition or removal of any building
or structure and the excavation, filling, grading and regulation of lots in
connection therewith.
DECIBEL
A logarithmic unit of measure used in describing the amplitude of
sound. Decibel is denoted as "dB."
DEPARTMENT
Any department, agency or authority of the City of Scranton.
EMERGENCY
Any occurrence or set of circumstances involving actual or imminent
physical trauma or property damage.
EMERGENCY VEHICLE
A motor vehicle used in response to a public calamity or to protect
persons or property from an imminent exposure to danger.
EMERGENCY WORK
Work made necessary to restore property to a safe condition following
a public calamity, work to restore public utilities or work required to protect
persons or property from an imminent exposure to danger.
IMPULSIVE NOISE
Noise characterized by brief excursions of sound pressure which significantly
exceed the ambient sound pressure. The duration of a single impulse is usually
less than one second.
MOTOR VEHICLE
As defined in the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code (75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101
et seq.)
NOISE
Any sound which is unwanted or which causes an adverse psychological
or physiological effect on human beings.
NOISE CONTROL OFFICER
For the purpose of issuing exceptions or investigating land use bases
for noise disturbances, the Zoning Enforcement Officer shall be the Noise
Control Officer. In all other cases of complaint, investigation, enforcement
or citation of violations of this chapter shall be the responsibility of the
Bureau of Police.
NOISE DISTURBANCE
A sound which:
(1)
Disrupts or injures the comfort, repose, health, hearing, peace or safety
of persons or animals;
(2)
Annoys, disturbs or perturbs a reasonable person with normal sensitivities;
(3)
Endangers or injures personal or real property; or
(4)
Is in excess of the sound levels by zoning districts established by
this chapter.
PERSONS
Any individual, association, partnership or corporation, user, owner
or operator, and includes any officer, employee, department, agency or instrument
of a state or any political subdivision of a state. Whenever used in any clause
prescribing and imposing a penalty, "person" includes the individual members,
partners, officers and managers or any of them of partnerships and associations
and, as for corporations, the officers and managers thereof or any of them
and, in their absence, the shareholders.
POWER MODEL VEHICLES
Any powered vehicles, either airborne, waterborne or landborne, which
are designed not to carry persons or property, such as but not limited to
model airplanes, boats, cars and rockets, and which can be propelled by mechanical
means.
PROPERTY BOUNDARY
An imaginary line, exterior to any enclosed structure, at the ground
surface, which separates the real property owned, rented or leased by one
person from that owned, rented or leased by another person and its vertical
extension.
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
Any street, avenue, boulevard, highway, sidewalk, alley or similar
place which is owned or controlled by a governmental entity.
PUBLIC SPACE
Any real property or structures thereon which are owned or controlled
by a governmental entity.
REAL PROPERTY
All land, whether publicly or privately owned, whether improved or
not improved, with or without structures, exclusive of any areas devoted to
public rights-of-way.
SOUND
An oscillation in pressure, particle displacement, particle velocity
or other physical parameter in a medium with internal forces that causes compression
and rarefaction of that medium or the superposition of such propagated oscillation
which evokes an auditory sensation. The description of "sound" may include
any characteristics of such sound, including duration, intensity and frequency.
SOUND LEVEL
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
the American National Standards Institute specifications for sound-level meters
(ANSI S1.4-1971 or the latest revision thereof). If the frequency weighting
employed is not included, the A-weighting shall apply.
SOUND LEVEL METER
An instrument, which includes but is not limited to a microphone,
amplifier, rms detector, integrator or time average or output meter, that
measures sound-pressure fluctuations. The output meter reads sound-pressure
level when properly calibrated and the instrument is of Type 2 or better as
specified in American National Standards Institute Publication S1.4-1971 or
its successor publication. The manufacturer's published indication of
compliance with such specifications shall comply.
SOUND PRESSURE
The instantaneous difference between the actual pressure and the
average or barometric pressure at a given point in space, as produced by sound
energy.
SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL
The level of sound measured in dB units with a sound level meter
which has a uniform ("flat") response over the band of frequencies measured.
VIBRATION
An oscillatory motion of solid bodies of deterministic or random
nature described by displacement, velocity or acceleration with respect to
a given reference point.
ZONING DISTRICTS
The land use districts established in File of the Council No. 74-1993
(as amended).