Earlier editions: 2026-09
Title 20 — ZONING ORDINANCE›Division II — MENDOCINO COUNTY COASTAL ZONING CODE
Mendocino County Municipal Code Appendix B Mendocino County Coastal Zoning Code
Mendocino County Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Mendocino County
Cite as: Mendocino County Municipal Code APPENDIX B · Text as of 2026-10-04
EXTERIOR NOISE LIMIT STANDARDS
(Levels not to be exceeded more than 30 minutes in any hour)
| Receiving Land Use Category 3, 4 | Time Period | Noise Level Standards (dBA) 1, 2 | Noise Level Standards (dBA) 1, 2 | Noise Level Standards (dBA) 1, 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving Land Use Category 3, 4 | Time Period | Rural/ Suburban | Urban/ Highways 5 | |
| One and Two-Family | 10:000 p.m. — 7:00 a.m. | 40 | 50 | |
| Residential | 7:00 a.m. — 10:00 p.m. | 50 | 60 | |
| Multifamily | 10:00 p.m. — 7:00 a.m. | 45 | 55 | |
| Public Spaces | 7:00 a.m. — 7:00 p.m. | 50 | 60 | |
| Limited Commercial, | 10:00 p.m. — 7:00 a.m. | 55 | ||
| Some Multifamily | 7:00 a.m. — 10:00 p.m. | 60 | ||
| Commercial | 10:00 p.m. — 7:00 a.m. | 60 | ||
| 7:00 a.m. — 10:00 p.m. | 65 | |||
| Light Industrial | Any time | 70 | ||
| Heavy Industrial | Any time | 75 |
| Adjustments to Noise Level Standard 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Duration | ||
| L 50 | 30 minutes per hour | Standard |
| L 25 | 15 minutes per hour | Standard + 5 dB |
| L 0 | Maximum permissible level | Standard + 20 dB |
| Character | Tone, whine, screech, hum, or impulsive hammering, riveting, or music or speech | Standard - 5 dB |
| Ambient Level 1 | Existing ambient L 50 , L 25 | Standard + 5 dB |
| Existing ambient L 0 | Existing maximum |
Interpretive Footnotes:
When an acoustical study demonstrates that the ambient noise level exceeds the noise standard, then the ambient noise level becomes the standard.
Higher noise levels may be permitted for temporary, short-term or intermittent activities when no sensitive or residential uses will be affected.
County staff shall recommend which receiving land use category applies to a particular project, based on the mix of uses and community noise levels. Industrial noise limits are intended to be applied at the boundary of industrial zones, rather than within industrial areas.
The "rural/suburban" standard should be applied adjacent to noise sensitive uses, such as hospitals or convalescence homes.
"Highways" apply to roads and highways where average daily traffic (ADT) exceeds ten thousand (10,000).
(Ord. No. 4149 (part), adopted 2005)
MENDOCINO COUNTY
ZONING ORDINANCE
Title 20—Division III of The Mendocino County Code
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