Los Altos Hills Municipal Code Ch. 2 Noise

Note: Prior ordinance history: Ords. 181, 249 and 254.

For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:

Animal

means any mammal, bird, reptile, fish or any other creature or any live vertebrae creature other than a human being.

A-weighted sound level or sound level

means the sound pressure level in decibels as measured on a sound level meter using the A-weighted network. The A-weighting filter de-emphasizes the very low and very high frequency components of the sound in a manner similar to the response of the human ear and gives a good correlation with subjective reactions to noise.

dBA

means the A-weighted unit of sound pressure level.

Decibel (dB)

means the unit of measurement for sound pressure level.

Emergency

means any occurrence or set of circumstances involving actual or imminent physical trauma or property damage which demands immediate actions.

Farm equipment

means a device which is used exclusively in the conduct of agricultural operations, including devices such as power saws, lawn mowers, pump motors, air compressors, or similar power-driven devices used in connection with agricultural operations, but not including vehicles which are designed primarily for the transportation of persons or property on a highway.

Farm tractor

means a tractor which may be used on a highway to draw a farm trailer carrying product or carrying other implements of husbandry between farms or to a processing or handling point and returning with or without the trailer, but which otherwise is itself an implement of husbandry.

Fixed noise source

means a stationary device which creates sound while fixed or motionless, including, but not limited to pumps, fans, compressors, air-conditioners, pool equipment, generators, and refrigeration equipment.

Machine, tool, or appliance

means every machine, motor, device, or equipment, powered or unpowered, including, without limitation, such normally employed to fabricate, clean, or modify other items, and including any device (other than farm equipment and on permitted construction sites), such as power saws, routers, drills, hoists, mixers, sanders, cleaners, grinders, jacks, pumps, generators, and the like.

Motor vehicle

means a vehicle which is self-propelled (including motorcycles, motor-assisted bicycles, motor-driven cycles, and powered motor vehicles) as defined in the California Vehicle Code, including all on-highway type motor vehicles subject to registration under said Code and all off-highway type motor vehicle subject to identification under said Code.

Person

means and includes every human being, whether adult, minor, or infant. When a group of persons acts in unison to create noise, each individual shall be deemed as responsible as though solely the principal producing the resultant noise.

Powered model vehicle

means any self-propelled, airborne, waterborne, or land borne plane, vessel, or vehicle which is not designed to carry persons, including but not limited to any model airplane, boat, car or rocket.

Sound-producing or amplifying device

means any device for the creation or amplification of the human voice, music, or any other sound. Examples include, without limitation, public address systems, music amplifiers, horns, sirens, whistles, bells, and drums.

(§ 1, Ord. 527, eff. May 21, 2011)

The following standards are established to be applicable to the classifications indicated when measured as follows:

(a) Use a standard noise level meter as prescribed by ANSI-S1.4. All measurements will be taken with the meter switched to the weighting network labeled "A" and "Slow" time averaging.

(b) When the source is on private property, measurements shall be made at any location on or beyond the property boundary.

(c) When the source is on public property, measurements shall be made 50 feet from the source or at the private property line, whichever is closer.

(d) Vehicles on public streets and highways within the Town shall conform to the noise emission standards prescribed for them by the Vehicle Code of the State.

(e) Fixed noise source installations shall conform to applicable setback standards. Additional noise attenuation such as enclosure, baffling or housing may be required for roof mounted installations to meet the standards in subsection (g) of this section.

(f) Equipment defined in Title 5, Chapter 6 is not regulated by this chapter.

(g) Noise sources shall be regulated by the following table:

For the purposes of enforcing the provisions of this chapter, "daytime" shall be the period from 8:00 a.m. on weekdays, and 9:00 a.m. on weekends and Town Holidays, to 7:00 p.m., and "nighttime" shall be the period from 7:00 p.m. to the beginning of "daytime," Pacific Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time. "Nighttime" shall begin at 10:00 p.m. for persons and sound-producing or amplifying devices.

(§ 1, Ord. 527, eff. May 21, 2011)

The provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to supersede or repeal other existing laws which are designed to control public nuisances or disturbances, such as noise.

(§ 1, Ord. 527, eff. May 21, 2011)

Each violation of the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a public nuisance and shall be subject to abatement as such.

(§ 1, Ord. 527, eff. May 21, 2011)

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to:

(a) The emission of sound for the purpose of alerting persons to the existence of an emergency; or

(b) The emission of sound in the performance of emergency work.

(c) Noise from equipment used during emergencies.

(§ 1, Ord. 527, eff. May 21, 2011)