[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Socorro 12-18-1979 by Ord. No. 77-2 (Ch. 7, Art. 1, Sec. 7-6, of the 1977 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
It shall be unlawful for any person, organization, group of persons, or any corporation to make, continue to make, cause to be made by or through the use of any instrumentality whatsoever, or to allow to be made by any person, etc. under their control; any loud or unusual noise so as to unreasonably disturb, annoy, injure, endanger or otherwise impair the comfort, repose, health, welfare, peace or safety of others. Such unlawful noise includes, but is not limited to the following:
A. 
Horns and signal devices: the unreasonable or unnecessary sounding of any horn or signaling device of any automobile, motorcycle, truck or other vehicle on any street or public place or the creation by means of any such horn or signaling device of any unreasonably loud or harsh sounds or the sounding thereof for any unnecessary and unreasonable period of time other than by accident or mechanical, electrical or other difficulty or failure; provided that use of such devices, if the noise produced thereby is reasonable, may be used in emergency situations for which they were intended.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
Vehicular noise: the operation of any motor vehicle, including motorcycles, automobiles, trucks or other vehicles, when operated in such a way as to cause unreasonable or unnecessary tire or engine or rattling noise except as required through emergency or law enforcement situations.
C. 
Construction noise:
(1) 
The unnecessary or unreasonable pounding or hammering of any metal object except as is necessary in the construction of a building or structure, or such as occurs within a building for repair or construction purposes; and
(2) 
The use of electric or gasoline-powered saws, drills, jack hammers or any other construction equipment, including excavating equipment, when operated between 2200 hours (10:00 p.m.) and 0700 hours (7:00 a.m.), except that this chapter will not apply to such activities if conducted by the public authorities or their subcontractors in emergency situations.
D. 
Animals: the keeping of any animals which, by causing frequent or long-continued noise, disturb or impair the quiet, comfort or repose of any person in the vicinity.
E. 
Radios and audio equipment: the playing of any radio, television, phonograph, musical instrument or other sound-producing machine in such a manner or with such an unreasonable volume as to disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of persons in the vicinity.
F. 
Advertising devices: the use of any loudspeaker or any other sound-producing device whatsoever to advertise or attract attention to any commercial or private venture or occurrence or to advertise any political cause or candidate where such device produces unnecessary or unreasonable noise.
G. 
Yelling and shouting: unnecessary yelling or shouting or creating other unreasonably loud noise which disturbs or impairs the peace, quiet or repose of any person in the vicinity.
H. 
Protected zones: the unnecessary creation of any unreasonably loud noise by any means whatsoever in the vicinity of any school, court, hospital, or public office which unreasonably interferes with the carrying on of the normal operations of such entities.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
The Mayor may issue a permit allowing activities which cause the production of unreasonable noise upon a showing of appropriate necessity such as irreparable harm to property or business concerns which would amount to a taking or for any other reason deemed to justify the issuance of such a permit, provided that the harm caused by such permitted act will not be greater than the benefit derived, and provided that no permit shall issue for more than one year. All persons affected or threatened by said issuance may protest and the Mayor is bound to take notice and consider such protestations.
Any person found guilty of violating any provisions of this chapter shall be punished as set forth in Chapter 1, Article III, Penalties, of the Socorro City Code.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).