Inglewood Municipal Code Art. 2 Noise Regulations

Note: Article 2, which was replaced by Ord. 88-29, passed September 13, 1988, derived from Ords. 2042, 11-6-70; 2453, 9-20-83; 2520, 10-1-85; and 2526, 11-26-85.

As used in this Article, specific words and phrases are defined as follows:

"Ambient noise level"

shall mean the all-encompassing noise level associated with a given environment, being a composite of sounds from all sources, excluding any alleged offensive noise.

"Commercial purpose"

shall mean the use, operation or maintenance of any sound-amplifying equipment for the purpose of advertising any business, goods, or services and/or for the purpose of advertising or attracting the attention of the public to or soliciting patronage for any performance, entertainment, exhibition or event, or for the purpose of demonstrating any such sound equipment.

"Cumulative time period"

shall mean an additive period of time composed of individual time segments which may be continuous or interrupted.

"Decibel" (dB)

shall mean a measurement unit of sound pressure level which denotes the ratio between two quantities which are proportional to power; the number of decibels corresponding to the ratio of two amounts of power is ten times the logarithm to the base 10 of this ratio.

"Impact noise"

shall mean the sound produced by the impact or collision of one moving object or mass with a second object or mass that is stationary or moving.

"Motor driven vehicle"

shall include, but not be limited to, any automobile, truck, van, bus, motorcycle, mini-bike or go-cart.

"Noise"

shall mean any sound that is loud or disturbing or that interferes with one's ability to hear some other sound.

"Noise level"

shall mean the "A" weighted sound pressure level in decibels audible to humans obtained by using a sound level meter. The unit of noise level measurement shall be designated as dB(A).

"Noncommercial purpose"

shall mean the use, operation or maintenance of any sound-amplifying equipment for other than a "commercial purpose," including, but not limited to, philanthropic, charitable, political and patriotic purposes.

"Person"

shall mean a person, firm, association, copartnership, joint venture, corporation, or any entity, public or private in nature.

"Simple tone noise"

shall mean a noise characterized by a predominant frequency or frequencies so that other frequencies cannot be readily distinguished.

"Sound pressure level"

of a sound, in decibels, shall mean twenty times the logarithm to the base 10 of the ratio of the pressure of this sound to the reference pressure, which reference pressure shall be explicitly stated.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

Any noise level measurement, made pursuant to the provisions of this Article, shall be determined by using a sound level meter that meets the American National Standard Institute's Standard S1.4-1971 for Type 1 or Type 2 sound level meters, or by using an instrument with associated recording and analyzing equipment that will provide equivalent data.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

All ambient noise measurements shall commence at the base ambient noise levels in decibels within the respective times and zones as follows:

Actual decibel measurements exceeding the above levels at the times and within the zones corresponding thereto shall be employed as the "base ambient noise level" referred to in this Article. Otherwise, no ambient noise shall be deemed to be less than the above specified levels.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

(a) Exterior noise levels shall be measured at any point on the affected property.

(b) Interior noise measurements shall be made within the affected dwelling unit. The measurement shall be made at a point at least four feet from the wall, ceiling, or floor nearest the alleged offensive noise source and may be made with the windows of the affected unit open.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person at any location to create any noise, or to allow the creation of any noise on property owned, leased, occupied, or otherwise controlled by that person, when the foregoing causes the noise level, when measured on any other property, to exceed any noise level for the cumulative time periods specified below in Sections 5-30 and 5-31.

Furthermore, notwithstanding any specified noise level, it shall also be unlawful for any person to willfully make or continue, or cause to be made or continued, any loud, unnecessary, or unusual noise which disturbs the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or which causes discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person residing in the area, and it shall be unlawful for any person in ownership or control of any premises to knowingly permit a violation of this Section upon said premises.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

(a) Exterior Noise. Measured on the exterior of any residential property, no noise level shall exceed the following for the duration period specified:

(b) Interior Noise. Measured within the interior of any residential unit, no noise level shall exceed the following for the duration period specified:

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

Measured on the exterior of nonresidential properties, no noise level shall exceed the respective base ambient noise levels for commercial and industrial land uses for a maximum cumulative duration of thirty minutes in any hour.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

In the event any offending noise consists primarily of impact noise, repetitive noise, or simple tone noise, each of the maximum permitted noise levels specified in Section 5-30 of this Article shall be reduced by five dB(A).

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person to create any noise on any street, sidewalk, or public place adjacent to any school, institution of learning or church while in use, or adjacent to any hospital, which noise unreasonably interferes with the workings of such institution or which disturbs or unduly annoys patients in the hospital, provided conspicuous signs are displayed in such streets, sidewalk or public place indicating the presence of a school, church, or hospital.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person to play, use, operate or permit to be played, used or operated any radio, television set, musical instrument, phonograph, stereophonic equipment, jukebox or other machine or device for producing, reproducing or amplifying sound when audible at a distance of fifty feet or more from the source of the sound and/or when audible within any other residence.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person, other than personnel of law enforcement or government agencies, to install, use, or operate within the City a loudspeaker or sound amplifying equipment in a fixed or movable position or mounted upon any vehicle for the purposes of giving instructions, directions, talks, addresses, lectures, or transmitting music to any persons or assemblages of persons in or upon any street, alley, sidewalk, park, or public property, unless a registration statement has been filed and approved pursuant to the provisions of Section 5-50 of this Article.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88; Ord. 23-17 9-12-23)

It shall be unlawful for any person operating an ice cream truck to fail to disengage, disconnect or turn off the mechanical or electrical device which projects sounds and is used to attract customers, while the vehicle is stopped.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person to use any drum or other percussion or musical instrument or device of any kind for the purpose of attracting attention by the creation of noise within the City. This Section shall not apply to persons who are participants in a school band activity or duly licensed parade, or who have been otherwise authorized to engage in such conduct, between the hours of seven a.m. and ten p.m.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, cause to operate or permit the operation of any machinery, equipment, device, pump, fan, compressor, air-conditioning apparatus, or similar mechanical device in any manner so as to create any noise which would cause the noise level at the property line of any property to exceed the ambient noise base level by five dB(A).

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any motorized lawnmower, lawn edger, or other yard maintenance equipment so as to create any noise which would cause the noise level at the property line to exceed the ambient noise base level within any residential zone by five dB(A) between the hours of sunset and seven a.m. of the next day.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person within a residential zone, or within a radius of five hundred feet therefrom, to operate equipment or perform any outside construction or repair work on buildings, structures, or projects or to operate any pile driver, pneumatic hammer, derrick, excavation or earth moving equipment, or other construction equipment between the hours of eight p.m. and seven a.m. of the next day in such a manner that a reasonable person residing in the area is caused discomfort or annoyance unless beforehand a permit therefor has been obtained from the Permits and Licenses Committee of the City.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

Any machinery, vehicle or work used, employed or performed in an effort to protect, provide or restore safe conditions in the community or for the citizenry, or work by private or public utilities when restoring utility service, shall be exempt from the provisions of Section 5-41 of this Article.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any motor driven vehicle within the City that, due to the nature of the operation of the vehicle, or due to the operating condition of the vehicle, or due to any modification made to vehicle, generates noise so that a reasonable person is caused discomfort or annoyance.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person within any residential area of the City to repair, rebuild, or test any motor vehicle between the hours of eight p.m. and seven a.m. of the next day in such a manner that a reasonable person residing in that area is caused discomfort or annoyance.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or sound, or cause to be operated or sounded, between the hours of ten p.m. and seven a.m. of the next day, a train horn or train whistle which creates a noise in excess of ninety dB(A) at any place or point three hundred feet or more distant from the source of such sound.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause to be operated any type of aircraft over the City which produces noise levels exceeding ninety dB(A) within the City, except that any aircraft operated in conformity with, or pursuant to, Federal law, Federal air regulations, and air traffic control instruction used pursuant to and within duly adopted Federal air regulations shall be exempt from the provisions of this Section as well as the other regulations of this Article.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, run up or test or cause to be operated, run up or tested an aircraft jet engine which creates a noise level of 50 dB(A) or more at any place within the City of Inglewood between the hours of ten p.m. and seven a.m. of the next day, except that any jet engine operating within an aircraft during a landing, take off or while moving upon the ground surface of an airport shall be exempt from the provisions of this Section.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain, or permit the keeping of, upon any premises owned, occupied, or controlled by such person any animal or fowl otherwise permitted to be kept which, by any sound, cry, or behavioral noise, causes annoyance or discomfort to a reasonable person in any residential neighborhood.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

The operation or maintenance of any device, instrument, vehicle, or machinery in violation of any provision of this Article, which operation or maintenance causes discomfort or annoyance to reasonable persons or which endangers the comfort, repose, health, or peace of residents in the area, shall be deemed, and is declared to be, a public nuisance and a misdemeanor, and may be subject to abatement summarily by a restraining order or injunction issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

(a) Every user of sound amplifying equipment for purposes specified in Section 5-35 of this Article shall file a registration statement with the Permits and Licenses Committee of the City at least five working days prior to the date on which the sound amplifying equipment is intended to be used, which statement shall contain the following information:

(1) The name, address and telephone number of both the owner and user of the sound amplifying equipment;

(2) The maximum sound producing power of the sound amplifying equipment which shall include the wattage to be used, the volume in decibels of sound which will be produced, and the approximate distance for which sound will be audible from the sound amplifying equipment;

(3) The license plate number if a sound truck or comparable vehicle is to be used;

(4) A general description of the sound amplifying equipment which is to be used; and

(5) Whether the sound amplifying equipment will be used for commercial or noncommercial purposes.

(b) The Permits and Licenses Committee shall return to the applicant an approved certified copy of the registration statement unless it finds that:

(1) The conditions of motor vehicle movement are such that the use of the equipment would constitute a detriment to traffic safety; or

(2) The conditions of pedestrian movement are such that use of the equipment would constitute an unreasonable interference with traffic; or

(3) The registration statement required reveals that the applicant would violate the provisions set forth in Section 5-51 or any other provision of this Code.

(c) In the event the registration statement is disapproved, the Permits and Licenses Committee shall endorse upon the statement its reasons for disapproval and return it forthwith to the applicant.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

The commercial and noncommercial use of sound amplifying equipment shall be subject to the following regulations:

(a) The only sounds permitted shall be either music or human speech, or both.

(b) The operation of sound amplifying equipment shall only occur between the hours of eight a.m. and ten p.m. each day. No operation of sound amplifying equipment for commercial purposes shall be permitted on Sundays or legal holidays.

(c) No sound emanating from sound amplifying equipment shall exceed 15 dB(A) above the ambient noise base level as measured at any property line.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section, sound amplifying equipment shall not be operated within 200 feet of churches, schools and hospitals.

(e) In any event, the volume of sound shall be so controlled that it will not be unreasonably loud, raucous, jarring, disturbing, or a nuisance to persons of normal sensitiveness within the area of audibility.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

Any person aggrieved by disapproval of a registration statement may appeal to the City Council by filing a written notification thereof with the City Clerk within 10 days from the date the said statement is mailed or given to the applicant. The City Council shall consider said appeal within the time and in the manner as provided for appeals from actions of the Permits and Licenses Committee generally.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

Prior to the issuance of the registration statement, a fee in the amount of $25 per day, or any portion thereof. shall be paid to the City, if the loudspeaker or sound amplifying equipment is to be used for commercial purposes. No fee shall be required for the operation of a loudspeaker or sound amplifying equipment for noncommercial purposes.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)

If any provision, clause, sentence, or paragraph of this Article, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances, shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions or application of the provisions of this Article which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application and, to this end, the provisions of this Article are hereby declared to be severable.

(Ord. 88-29 9-13-88)