[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Harrisburg 11-9-1999 by Ord. No. 42-1999; amended in its entirety 6-5-2007 by Ord. No. 4-2007. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
CROSS-REFERENCES
Animal noises: see § 3-505.2.
Sound trucks: see § 3-341.3.
Unreasonable noise: see Ch. 3-341.
The following definitions shall apply to this chapter:
LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD EXEMPTED AREA
The area within the City of Harrisburg which, as approved by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, is exempted from enforcement of Pennsylvania Liquor Control Regulation 5.32(a) regarding amplified music.
NOISE DISTURBANCE
Any sound which:
A. 
Endangers or injures the safety or health of humans or animals;
B. 
Annoys or disturbs a reasonable person of normal sensitivities;
C. 
Endangers or injures personal or real property; or
D. 
Is in violation of § 3-343.2.
NONRESIDENTIAL AREA
All areas of the City excluding residential areas and the Liquor Control Board exempted area.
PUBLIC STREET
Property to which the public has a legal right of access, including but not limited to public sidewalks and streets, and public parks, but not including buildings.
REDUCED NOISE FACILITY
Any hospital, nursing home, or day-care facility located within the City.
RESIDENTIAL AREA
Any area within a residential zone as set forth in Chapter 7-309 titled "Residence Zones" in the Codified Ordinances of the City of Harrisburg.
A. 
Making, continuing to make, or causing to be made or continued a noise disturbance within the City is a violation of this chapter.
B. 
Without limitation as to the types of noise-producing acts which are in violation of this chapter, noises produced by the following acts, unless otherwise exempted in § 3-343.3, are declared to be noise disturbances in violation of this chapter:
(1) 
Reduced noise facilities. Any sound that originates outside of a reduced noise facility and is plainly audible by any person inside a reduced noise facility.
(2) 
Radios and other amplified music in a vehicle. Use or operation of, or permitting the use or operation of, any radio, CD player, television set, stereo (phonograph), or other machine or device designed or intended to produce or reproduce sound in such manner as to create a noise disturbance or at any time with louder volume than is necessary for convenient hearing by the person or persons who are in the vehicle in which such machine or device is operating and who are voluntary listeners thereto. The operating of any such machine or device in such manner as to be plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet from the source shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this chapter.
(3) 
Loudspeakers and/or amplifiers upon public streets. Use or operation of, or permitting the use or operation of, any radio, CD player, television set, musical instrument, stereo (phonograph), loudspeaker, sound amplifier, or other machine or device designed or intended to produce or reproduce sound, which is plainly audible upon the public streets at a distance of 50 feet from the source within a residential area or a nonresidential area or 75 feet from the source within the Liquor Control Board exempted area.
(4) 
Automobile horns. Any use of an automobile horn, other than when used as a safety device.
(5) 
Construction or repair activities.
(a) 
The performance of any construction or repair work of any kind upon, or excavating for, any building or structure, where any such work entails the use of any air compressor, jackhammer, power-driven drill, riveting machine, excavator, hand hammer on steel or iron, or any other machine, tool, device, or equipment which makes loud noises to the disturbance of persons occupying sleeping quarters in a dwelling, hotel, or apartment or other place of residence. The above use of machinery or equipment that produces such unnecessary noise shall be prohibited on any Sunday or any other day between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. The provisions of this section do not apply to any person who performs any construction, repair, or excavation pursuant to the express written permission of the City Engineer. Upon receipt of an application in writing therefor, stating the reasons for the request and the facts upon which such reasons are based, the City Engineer may grant such permission if the activity is not otherwise prohibited by these Codified Ordinances or general law and he or she finds that:
[1] 
The work to be done is in the public interest;
[2] 
Hardship or injustice or unreasonable delay would result from the interruption thereof during the hours and days specified above; or
[3] 
The building or structure involved is devoted or intended to be devoted to a use immediately incidental to the public defense.
(b) 
Any person dissatisfied with the decision of the City Engineer may forthwith appeal to the Chief of Police by filing a written request for a hearing within seven calendar days of the City Engineer's decision.
(c) 
The provisions of this Subsection B(5) do not apply to construction, repair, or excavation during prohibited hours as may be necessary for the preservation of life or property when such necessity arises during such hours as the offices of the City are closed or where such necessity requires immediate action prior to the time at which it would be possible to obtain required permits, provided that the persons doing such construction, repair, or excavation obtain a permit therefor within one day after the office of the City Engineer is first opened subsequent to the undertaking of such construction, repair, or excavation.
(d) 
The provisions of this Subsection B(5) do not apply to construction, repair, or excavation by a public utility which is subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utility Commission, provided that such work is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, safety, or welfare and where such necessity makes it necessary to construct, repair, or excavate during the prohibited hours.
(e) 
The provisions of this Subsection B(5) do not apply in any area of the City which is classified by the City's Zoning Code as a manufacturing or industrial zone[1] and which is not less than 500 feet from any residential zone.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 7-313, Industry Zones.
(6) 
Municipal waste collection. The performance of any municipal waste collection utilizing any mechanical equipment in any residential zone or within 500 feet of any residential zone between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.
(7) 
Lawn care equipment. Use of leaf blowers, powered lawn mowers and/or other powered landscape maintenance equipment between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. on any day.
The following sounds are exempted from being noise disturbances:
A. 
Any siren, alarm, public address system or other communication device or equipment, including but not limited to generators, used during an emergency or for official law enforcement purposes;
B. 
Any sound created by the arrival or departure of a helicopter at a hospital or medical facility or during an emergency;
C. 
Any sound which is an official part of an activity or event licensed or permitted by the City;
D. 
Any sound related to construction or repair activities, municipal waste collection, or lawn care equipment which is not in violation of § 3-343.2 of this chapter;
E. 
A bell or chime used in conjunction with religious worship; or
F. 
A public address or amplification system used at an athletic event.
The provisions of this chapter are intended to supplement all other provisions of these Codified Ordinances and shall not be deemed to preempt or preclude application of any of the other provisions of the Codified Ordinances except existing conflicting provisions of this chapter, which are repealed by this chapter.
Violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a nuisance and may be abated by the City through civil process by means of a restraining order, preliminary or permanent injunction or in any manner provided by law for the abatement of nuisance.
Any person who violates the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to Chapter 3-399, Penalty, of these Codified Ordinances. For each violation in excess of five violations per calendar year by the same person, business, or establishment, the minimum fine shall be $500.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1-303).