[Adopted 12-11-2000 by Ord. No. 00-10]
It is the purpose and scope of this part to provide regulations defining the maximum sound levels that vehicles, appliances and equipment shall be allowed to produce at specific distances from these devices and also to provide for the prohibition of specific sources of noises. These regulations and prohibitions are intended to protect the physical, mental and social well-being of the residents of the Borough of Sharpsburg.
This part shall apply:
1. 
To all types of vehicles, appliances and equipment, whether privately or publicly owned.
2. 
To sounds of any time duration.
3. 
To both the owner and operator of vehicles, appliances and equipment, whether privately or publicly owned.
The following devices are exempt from the provisions of these regulations:
1. 
Aircraft (except model aircraft).
2. 
Police, fire, ambulance and other governmental emergency vehicles.
3. 
Back-up alarm devices on vehicles and other equipment when installed and operated in accordance with the Society of Automotive Engineers' recommended practice J 994, "Criteria for Back-up Alarm Devices."
4. 
Governmental warning devices (i.e., civil defense or fire siren).
All acoustical terminology shall be that contained in ANSI S1.1, "Acoustical Terminology."
ANSI
American National Standards Institute or its successor.
APPLIANCE
Any device or combination of devices used or capable of being used as a means of accomplishing a desired end, such as a window air-conditioning unit.
BACKGROUND SOUND LEVEL
The measured sound level in the area without the sound contribution of the specific source in question.
DAY
The twenty-four-hour period starting at local midnight.
DAY-TIME
7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
DECIBEL (dB)
A unit of sound level which is a division of logarithmic scale used to express the ratio of the sound intensity of the source to the intensity or an arbitrarily chosen reference intensity. The ratio is expressed on the decibel scale by multiplying its base 10 logarithm by 10.
EQUIPMENT
Any devices or combination of devices to accomplish a desired end, such as a chain saw, bulldozer, etc.
EXCESSIVE NOISE
Excessive noise is that sound which is injurious or which unreasonably interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property. Measured noise levels in excess of limits established in these regulations or those specified in valid permits are declared to be excessive noise, annoying to a person of ordinary sensibilities.
EXCESSIVE VIBRATION
The presence of a vibration or vibrations:
1. 
Of such intensity, duration, frequency or character to annoy, disturb or cause or tend to cause adverse psychological or physiological effects on persons, or damage or tend to damage personal or real property.
2. 
In excess of standards promulgated by the Board of Health.
FLUCTUATING NOISE
A fluctuation noise whose sound level varies significantly with time.
IMPULSIVE NOISE
Impulsive noise is characterized by brief excursions of sound level. The duration of a single impulse is usually less than one second.
INTERMITTENT NOISE
An intermittent noise is a noise whose sound level exceeds the ambient noise levels at least twice during the period of observation, which is one minute or more. The period of time during which the level of the noise remains at an essentially constant value different from that of the ambient is on the order of one second or more.
NOISE
The presence of a sound or sounds of such intensity, duration, frequency or character which would cause a person of ordinary or reasonable sensibilities to be annoyed, disturbed, or cause or tend to cause adverse psychological and physiological effects on such persons.
ORDINANCE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
Any person appointed by the Borough of Sharpsburg with responsibility to enforce Borough ordinances; or any sworn member of the Borough Police Department.
PERIOD OF OBSERVATION
The period of observation is the time interval during which acoustical data is obtained. The period of observation is determined by the characteristics of the noise being measured and the instrumentation being used. The period of observation must be at least as long as the response time of the instrumentation. The greater the variance in individual sound level, the longer must be the observation time for a given expected accuracy of measurement.
PERSON
Any individual, natural person, syndicate, association, partnership, firm, corporation, institution, agency, authority, department, bureau or instrumentality of federal, state or local government or other entity recognized by law as a subject of rights and duties.
PROPERTY
All land whether improved or not improved within or without structures.
PROPERTY BOUNDARY
The surveyed line at ground surface which separates the facility owned, rented or leased by one or more persons from any other such facilities.
SOUND LEVEL (NOISE LEVEL)
Airborne sound levels are expressed in dB and obtained by the use of specific frequency-dependent weighting networks, as specified in the referenced standards. The specific weighting network used must be indicated by the proper notation. If the A-weighting is employed, the sound level is identified as dB(A).
SOUND LEVEL METER
An instrument or combination of instruments which meets or exceeds the requirements for an ANSI Type S1A or Type S2A sound level meter.
SOUND PRESSURE
The instantaneous differences between the actual pressure and the average or barometric pressure at a given point in space, as produced by sound energy.
SOURCE
Any entities of sound and/or vibration.
STEADY NOISE
A noise whose level remains essentially constant (i.e., fluctuations are less than five dB) during the period of observation is a steady noise.
VEHICLE
Any device or combination of devices used for or capable of being used for transporting persons or property. Vehicles include, but are not limited to, the following: automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, motorized bicycles, snowmobiles, scooters, all-terrain vehicles, go-carts, racers and like devices, farm machinery, industrial machinery, highway graders, trailers, graders and semitrailers.
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.
1. 
Abatement. Any emission of noise from any source in excess of the limitation established in or pursuant to this part herein described shall be deemed and is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and may be abated, in addition to the administrative proceedings, fines and penalties herein provided. Such abatement may be made by any police officer or the ordinance enforcement officer, or may be made by order of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County on complaint or petition filed on behalf of the Borough of Sharpsburg.
2. 
Nothing in this part shall be construed to impair any cause of action or legal remedy thereof of any person or the public for injury or damage arising from the emission or release into the atmosphere or ground from any source whatever of noise in such place or manner or at such levels which may give rise to such cause of action.
3. 
The noise enforcement officers of the Borough of Sharpsburg shall:
A. 
Be qualified by training and experience to perform the necessary measurements and procedures required to determine violations of the provisions of this part.
B. 
File complaints with the Magisterial District Judge to prosecute violations of this part.
C. 
Investigate complaints of violations of this part and make inspections and observations of noise conditions.
D. 
Be authorized to issue a warning to persons considered in violation of these regulations, a warning which may allow an appropriate time not to exceed 30 calendar days for correction to bring the offending vehicle(s), appliance(s), equipment or other device(s) within the provisions of these regulations before enforcement by prosecution.
The Borough of Sharpsburg shall:
1. 
Have available in convenient form as in a unit the provisions of this part and the recommended practices, rules, regulations and standards which have been adopted. A copy of the information sources shall be kept on file in the Borough of Sharpsburg offices.
2. 
Prepare and maintain records of all orders issued by the noise enforcement officers and the Appeals Board.
3. 
By the Mayor and Council officials, issue all standards, permits, certificates, notices or other matters required under the provisions of this part, and notify all persons concerned of any decisions rendered, and provide such persons with an opportunity to be heard as herein set forth.
4. 
Establish an advisory committee to investigate and make recommendations from time to time to Council with respect to needed additions or revisions of this part.
1. 
Council shall establish an Appeals Board consisting of five members to hear and decide cases regarding interpretations of this part and variances for undue hardship situations.
2. 
The membership of the Appeals Board shall contain at least one member who is qualified by training and expertise in the field of noise control regulations.
1. 
Sound levels from any source, excluding construction, shall not exceed the limits set forth in §§ 10-709 and 10-710 of this part measured at the point of complaint origination.
2. 
Vibration levels shall not exceed 0.2 inches per second beyond any source property boundary or 30 yards from any moving source.
3. 
Determination of background sound level. The enforcement officer shall request the operator to discontinue the suspected source of noise in order to measure the background sound level. In the event this is not feasible, a measurement location shall be selected in the immediate vicinity at such a point to minimize the alleged noise source contribution to the total sound level.
1. 
Musical instruments. No person shall use or perform on any hand organ or other musical instrument or device, for pay or in expectation of payment, in any public way or public open space of the Borough of Sharpsburg before 7:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. of the day, unless said person has obtained a special permit from the Mayor or Borough officials.
2. 
Noise from premises. No person owning or in possession or control of any building or premises shall use the same, permit the use of the same, or rent the same to be used for any business or employment or residential use or for any purpose of pleasure or recreation if such use shall disturb or destroy the peace of the neighborhood as measured at the property line in which such building or premise is situated or be dangerous or detrimental to health.
3. 
Equipment noise. It shall be unlawful for any person to use any pile driver, shovel, hammer, derrick, hoist, tractor, roller or other mechanical equipment operated by fuel or electric power in building or construction operations from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. of the following day, except for emergency work to abate or help abate an immediate threat to the health, safety and welfare of the general public, unless such equipment has been manufactured or modified for sound control and meets the provisions of this part.
4. 
Noise in handling refuse cans. No person shall make any unnecessary noise in the handling of trash and garbage cans, either in loading or unloading, whether full or empty, so as to constitute annoyance to a person of ordinary sensibilities.
5. 
Noise in vicinity of hospitals, nursing homes, houses of worship, courthouses, school and libraries.
A. 
Sound levels from a specific external source, excluding construction, shall not exceed two dB(A) above background sound level at the property boundary of any hospital or nursing home at any time.
B. 
Sound levels from a specific external source, excluding construction, shall not exceed two dB(A) above background sound level at the source of complaint origination where said source of complaint is within any house of worship, school, library or courthouse.
6. 
Unlawful to keep noisy animals. No person shall keep or permit to be kept, harbor or otherwise maintain any animal which shall disturb the quiet of any public street or other public place or of any neighborhood; provided, however, that a noisy animal shall be defined as one or more animals which makes noises habitually so as to constitute annoyance to a person of ordinary sensibilities.
7. 
Amplified sound. Amplified sounds from commercial, industrial and institutional establishments shall not exceed three dB(A) above background level beyond the property boundary.
8. 
Noise by peddlers. No peddler or other person who plies a trade or calling of any nature on the streets of the Borough of Sharpsburg shall use any horn, bell or other sound instrument to make any noise tending to disturb the peace and quiet of the neighborhood for the purpose of directing attention to his wares, trade or calling.
9. 
Use of horns and other devices on vehicles. No person operating any vehicle, other than police, fire, public service or ambulance operators, shall sound any horn, bell, gong, siren or whistle, except for the ordinary horn installed on such vehicle by the manufacturer, or sound any type of horn, except when reasonably necessary to prevent accidents or to otherwise comply with the law of motor vehicles.
10. 
The operational performance standards established by this part shall not apply to any public performance being conducted in accordance with provisions of a special permit obtained from the Borough of Sharpsburg for the conduct thereof.
11. 
Motor vehicles. All motor vehicles shall comply with all federal and state laws and regulations, including the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Title 67, Chapter 157, Established Sound Levels, which are incorporated herein as if set forth at length.
A. 
No person shall modify or change the exhaust muffler, intake muffler or any other noise-abatement device of a motor vehicle so that the noise level is increased above that emitted by the vehicle as originally manufactured. Procedures used to establish compliance with this paragraph shall be those used to establish compliance of a new motor vehicle in addition to the requirements of this part, if applicable.
Maximum permissible noise levels above background sound level, unless otherwise specifically designated herein, measured at point-of-complaint origination or boundary:
Continuous Time Period
Measured at Residential Site
(dBA)
Measured at Business, Mixed-Use and Industrial Site
(dBA)
Longer than 1 minute
5
10
1 minute or less
15
20
1. 
Any property use established in a zoning district as defined and designated under the provisions of the Borough of Sharpsburg Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 27) shall be such as to comply with the performance standards governing noise set forth hereinafter for the district in which such use shall be located. All references to residential, business, mixed-use or industrial shall refer to those zoning districts as defined and designated under the provisions of the Borough of Sharpsburg Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 27) unless specifically designated otherwise.
2. 
Noise levels shall be measured in terms of the sound level in dB(A), using equipment which meets the requirements established by this part.
3. 
In all business, mixed-use and industrial zoning districts, at no point on the boundary of any residential zoning district shall the sound level of any individual operation or business or the combined operations of any person, firm or corporation exceed the dB(A) levels set forth in § 10-710 for the zoning district indicated from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. of the following day, as measured under the test procedures established by § 10-708 of this part. The maximum sound levels established in this section to be applied to the boundaries of a lot shall not apply to construction sites and emergency operations.
[Amended 2-21-2013 by Ord. No. 13-05]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this part shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation of this part continues or each section of this part which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.