Earlier editions: 2026-07
Title 9 — Public Peace, Morals and Welfare›Division IV — Offenses Against the Public Peace›Chapter 9.36 — VIBRATION ORDINANCE
Hawthorne Municipal Code Art. 2 Vibration Restrictions
Hawthorne Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Hawthorne
Cite as: Hawthorne Municipal Code Article 2 · Text as of 2026-10-04
§ 9.36.030. Vibration-induced annoyance.¶
No person shall cause annoyance-related vibration levels, as measured at the receiving land use type, above the limits shown in Table N-4.
Table N-4: Groundborne Vibration Criteria: Human Annoyance
| Land Use Category | Maximum Vibration Level (VdB) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Workshop | 90 | Distinctly felt vibration. Appropriate to workshops and non-sensitive areas |
| Office | 84 | Felt vibration. Appropriate to offices and non-sensitive areas. |
| Residential – Daytime | 78 | Barely felt vibration. Adequate for computer equipment. |
| Residential – Nighttime | 72 | Vibration not felt, but groundborne noise may be audible inside quiet rooms. |
| Source: FTA 2006. Note: Maximum Vibration Level (in VdB) is the RMS velocity level in decibels, as measured in 1/3-octave bands of frequency over the frequency ranges of 8 to 80 Hz. RMS is the abbreviation for root-mean-square. |
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(Ord. 2169 § 7, 2019)
§ 9.36.040. Vibration-induced architectural damage.¶
No person shall cause architectural damage-related vibration levels, as measured at the receiving land use type, above the limits shown in Table N-5. Note that the term 'architectural damage' is defined as minor surface cracks (in plaster, drywall, tile, or stucco) or the sticking of doors and windows. This is below the severity of 'structural damage' which entails the compromising of structural soundness or the threatening the basic integrity of the building shell.
Table N-5: Groundborne Vibration Criteria: Architectural Damage
| Building Category | PPV (in/sec) | VdB |
|---|---|---|
| I. Reinforced concrete, steel, or timber (no plaster) | 0.5 | 102 |
| II. Engineered concrete and masonry (no plaster) | 0.3 | 98 |
| III. Non-engineered timber and masonry buildings | 0.2 | 94 |
| IV. Buildings extremely susceptible to vibration damage | 0.12 | 90 |
| Source: FTA 2006. Note: Lv (VdB): Lv is the velocity level in decibels, as measured in 1/3-octave bands of frequency over the frequency ranges of 8 to 80 Hz. |
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(Ord. 2169 § 7, 2019)
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