A. 
Any sound or noise level measurement made pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be measured with a sound level meter using the A-weighting and slow response pursuant to applicable manufacturer's instructions; except, that for sounds of a duration of two seconds or less, the fast response shall be used and the average level during the course of the occurrence of the sound reported.
B. 
The sound level meter shall be appropriately calibrated and adjusted as necessary by means of an acoustical calibrator of the coupler-type to assure meter accuracy within the tolerances set forth in the most current standards for sound level meters.
C. 
For outside measurements, the microphone shall be not less than four feet above the ground, at least four feet distant from walls or other large reflecting surfaces, and shall be protected from the effects of wind noises by the use of appropriate wind screens, and the location selected shall be at any point on the affected property. In cases when the microphone must be located within ten feet of walls or similar large reflecting surfaces, the actual measured distances and orientation of sources, microphone and reflecting surfaces shall be noted and recorded. In no case shall a noise measurement be taken within five feet of the noise source.
D. 
For inside measurements, the microphone shall be at least three feet distant from any wall, ceiling or partition, and the average measurement of at least three microphone positions throughout the room shall be determined.
(Prior code § 36.403; Ord. 190, 1991)
A. 
Unless a variance has been applied for and granted pursuant to this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to operate, or cause to be operated, any single or combination of fixed source or nonstationary source type of equipment or machinery, except construction equipment used in connection with construction operations, that individually or collectively constitutes an identifiable sound source, in such a manner as to cause the average sound level at any point on or beyond the boundaries of the property on which the sound is produced to exceed by five decibels the noise level limits set forth in subsection B of this section, plus allowances for time duration in subsection C of this section.
B. 
Zone Ambient Noise Level Limits. "Noise level limit" or "sound level limit" referred to in this section means that noise level limit as determined from the table below:
Zone
Time
Avg. Sound Level
RL, RL/M, RM
7 AM to 7 PM
50
7 PM to 10 PM
45
10 PM to 7 AM
40
RM/H, RP
7 AM to 7 PM
60
7 PM to 10 PM
55
10 PM to 7 AM
50
All Commercial Zones
7 AM to 7 PM
60
7 PM to 10 PM
55
10 PM to 7 AM
55
LI
Anytime
70
The sound level limit at a location on a boundary between two zoning districts shall be the arithmetic mean of the respective limits for the two districts. Fixed location public utility distribution or transmission facilities located on adjacent to a property line shall be subject to noise level limits of this section, measured at or beyond six feet from the boundary of the easement upon which the equipment is located.
C. 
Time Duration Correction Table. The time duration allowances set forth in the table below shall apply to those noise level limits set forth in subsection B of this section.
Allowances for Sound Levels Lasting Less Than an Hour
Duration
Allowable Decibels
Up to 30 minutes per hour (50%)
+3
Up to 15 minutes per hour (25%)
+6
Up to 10 minutes per hour (16%)
+8
Up to 5 minutes per hour (8%)
+11
Up to 2 minutes per hour (3%)
+15
D. 
Permissible construction noise level limits shall be governed by Section 9.24.120.
(Prior code § 36.404; Ord. 190, 1991)
A. 
Repairs of Motor Vehicles. It is unlawful for any person within the city to repair, rebuild, or test any motor vehicle in such a manner as to cause disturbing, excessive, or offensive noises as defined in Section 9.24.020(F).
B. 
On-highway. Violations for exceeding applicable noise level limits as to persons operating motor vehicles on a public street or highway in the city shall be prosecuted under applicable California Vehicle Code provisions and under Federal Regulation adopted pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4905 (a) (1) (A), (B), and (C) (ii), (iii) for which enforcement responsibility is delegated to local governmental agencies.
C. 
Off-highway. Except as otherwise provided for in this chapter, it is unlawful to operate any motor vehicle of any type on any site other than on a public street or highway as defined in the California Vehicle Code in a manner so as to cause noise in excess of:
1. 
Those noise levels permitted for on-highway motor vehicles as specified in the table "35 miles per hour or less speed limits" contained in Section 23130 of the California Vehicle Code and as corrected for distances set forth below:
Corrections
Distance (Feet)
Correction (Decibels)
25
-6
28
-5
32
-4
35
-3
40
-2
45
-1
50 (Preferred Distance)
0
56
1
63
2
70
3
80
4
90
5
100
6
A measured noise level thus calibrated to the lane-to-microphone distance of fifty feet shall be deemed in violation of this section if it exceeds the applicable noise-level limit specified by this section.
2. 
Or in excess of those sound levels permitted in Section 9.24.080.
D. 
Emergency Vehicles. Nothing in this section shall apply to authorized emergency vehicles when being used in emergency situations.
E. 
Urban Transit Buses. Buses as defined in the California Vehicle Code shall at all times comply with the requirements of this section.
(Prior code § 36.405)
It is unlawful for any person to operate any powered model vehicle except between the hours of seven a.m. and nine p.m. and then only in such a manner so as not to emit noise in excess of those levels set forth in Section 9.24.080; however, if powered model vehicles are operated in public parks at a point more than one hundred feet from the property line, the noise level shall be determined at a distance of one hundred feet from the noise source instead of at the property line, and noises from powered model vehicles, measured at that distance in excess of the noise limits specified in Section 9.24.080, are prohibited.
(Prior code § 36.406)
No person shall operate, or permit to be operated, a refuse compacting, processing, or collection vehicle within the city which, when compacting, creates a sound level in excess of eighty decibels when measured at a distance of fifty feet from any point of the compacting vehicle, unless a variance has been applied for and granted pursuant to this chapter.
(Prior code § 36.407)
A. 
Except for emergency work, it is unlawful for any person, including the city, to operate any single or combination of powered construction equipment at any construction site, except as outlined below:
1. 
It is unlawful for any person, including the city, to operate any single or combination of powered construction equipment at any construction site on Sundays on any day celebrating official state holidays. Notwithstanding the above, a person may operate powered construction equipment on the above-specified days between the hours of ten a.m. and five p.m. in compliance with subdivision 2 of this subsection at his residence or for the purpose of constructing a residence for him or herself, provided such operation of powered construction is not carried on for profit or livelihood. In addition, it is unlawful for any person to operate any single or combination of powered construction equipment at any construction site on Mondays through Saturdays except between the hours of seven a.m. and seven p.m.
2. 
No such equipment, or combination of equipment, regardless of age or date of acquisition, shall be operated so as to cause noise at a level in excess of seventy-five decibels for more than eight hours during any twenty-four hour period when measured at or within the property lines of any property which is developed and used either in part or in whole for residential purposes. These sound levels shall be corrected for time duration in accordance with the following table:
Total Duration in 24 Hours
Decibel Level Allowance
Total Decibel Level
Up to 15 minutes
+15
90
Up to 30 minutes
+12
87
Up to 1 hour
+9
84
Up to 2 hours
+6
81
Up to 4 hours
+3
78
Up to 8 hours
0
75
B. 
In the event that lower noise limit standards are established for construction equipment pursuant to state or federal law, said lower limits shall be used as a basis for revising and amending the noise level limits specified in subsection A(2) of this section.
(Ord. 190, 1991)
It is unlawful for any person to handle or transport, or cause to be handled or transported, in any public place, any container or any construction material in such a way as to create a disturbing, excessive, or offensive noise as defined under Section 9.24.020(F).
(Prior code § 36.411)
No person shall operate, or cause to have operated or used, any sound signal device, other than sound-amplification equipment, attached to a motor vehicle wagon or manually propelled cart from which food or any other items are sold which emits a sound signal more frequently than once every ten minutes in any one street block and with a duration of more than ten seconds for any single emission. The sound level of this sound signal shall not exceed ninety decibels at fifty feet.
(Prior code § 36.412)
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to create, maintain, or cause to be maintained, any sound within the interior of any multiple-family dwelling unit which causes the average sound level of forty-five decibels to be exceeded in any other dwelling unit for a cumulative period of five minutes in any one hour, or fifty decibels for a cumulative period of one minute in any one hour, or fifty-five decibels at no time between the hours of ten p.m. of one day and seven a.m. of the following day. The monitoring procedures outlined under Section 9.24.070 shall be followed in enforcing this section.
(Prior code § 36.413)