Del Rey Oaks Municipal Code Ch. 8.20 Noise Control

A. General. It is unlawful for any person to knowingly make, continue or cause to be made or continued, any excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise. The term "excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise" means a noise disturbance which, because of its volume level, duration or character, annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of any individual within the limits of the city.

B. Public Nuisance Declared. The following specific acts are declared to be public nuisances:

1. Using or operating out of doors, for any purpose, any loudspeaker system, amplification device including a boom box, radio, amplifier, phonograph, stereo, compact disc or tape player, musical instrument or other device for the producing or reproducing of sound, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; or at any time when such loudspeaker or amplification or similar device described herein is operated in such a manner, whether indoors or outdoors, that it can be heard at a place two hundred (200) feet distant, or such that the sound therefrom creates a noise disturbance across a residential or commercial property;

2. Excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud yelling, shouting, talking, whistling or singing out of doors between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on any day;

3. Excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud operation or use of hammers, hand powered saws, or similar implements; impact wrenches or similar equipment powered by compressed air; tools or pieces of equipment powered by an internal combustion engine such as, but not limited to, chain saws, blowers and lawn mowers; electrically powered tools or equipment such as, but not limited to, saws, drills, latches or routers before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. daily.

C. Exemptions. Excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise as used in this chapter does not include noise or sound generated by the following:

1. Cries for emergency assistance and warning calls;

2. Radios, sirens, horns and bells on police, fire and other emergency response vehicles;

3. Special events for which a permit has been obtained from the city are exempted; provided, there is compliance with all conditions which have been noted in writing on the permit. Excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise produced as a result of noncompliance with any condition specified on the permit is not exempt from the requirements of this chapter;

4. Activities on or in publicly owned property and facilities, or by public employees or their franchisees, while in the authorized discharge of their responsibilities, are exempt; provided, that such activities have been authorized by the owner of such property or facilities or its agent or by the employing authority;

5. Religious worship activities, including, but not limited to,, bells, organs, singing and preaching.

(Ord. 227 § 1, 1993: prior code § 7-103)