National City Municipal Code Ch. 12.02 General Provisions

12.02.010 - Title.¶

The ordinance codified in this title shall be known and may be cited as "The Noise Control Ordinance" of the city of National City.

(Ord. 2188 § 2, 2001)

Exceptions & meaning →

12.02.040 - Declaration of findings and policy.¶

Whereas, excessive noise and vibration are a serious hazard to the public health and welfare and the quality of life; and

Whereas, the people have a right to and should be ensured an environment free from noise and vibration that may jeopardize their health or welfare or degrade the quality of life.

Now, therefore, it is the policy of the city to prevent noise and vibration that may jeopardize the health or welfare of its citizens or degrade the quality of life.

(Ord. 2188 § 2, 2001)

Exceptions & meaning →

12.02.060 - Criteria.¶

As criteria for this chapter, Table I is a chart showing sound levels and their expected impact in terms of human response. Table II is a list of National Goals for Noise Reduction as set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in their publication "Toward a National Strategy for Noise Control" April 1977.

TABLE I

SOUND LEVELS AND HUMAN RESPONSE

Common Sounds	Noise Level (dB)	Effect
Carrier deck Jet operation Air raid siren	140	Painfully loud
Jet takeoff (200 feet) Thunderclap Discotheque Auto horn (3 feet)	130
Jet takeoff (200 feet) Thunderclap Discotheque Auto horn (3 feet)	120	Maximum vocal effect
Pile drivers Chain saw (2 feet)	110
Garbage truck 767.10 Power lawn mower (4 feet)	100
Heavy truck (50 feet) City traffic	90	Very annoying Hearing damage (8 hrs)
Alarm clock (2 feet) Hair dryer Vacuum cleaner	80	Annoying
Noisy restaurant Freeway traffic Man's voice	70	Telephone use difficult
Air conditioning unit (20 feet)	60	Intrusive
Light auto traffic (100 feet)	50	Quiet
Living room Bedroom Quiet office	40
Library Soft whisper (15 feet)	30	Very quiet
Broadcasting studio	20
	10	Just audible
	0	Hearing begins

This decibel (dB) table compares some common sounds and shows how they rank in potential harm to hearing. Note that seventy dB is the point at which noise may begin to harm hearing, that sixty dB is the threshold of stress response and forty-five dB disturbs sleep. To the ear, each ten dB increase seems twice as loud.

TABLE II

A. To take all practical steps to eliminate hearing loss resulting from noise exposure;
B. To reduce environmental noise exposure to an Ldn value of no more than seventy-five dB immediately;
C. To reduce noise exposure levels to Ldn sixty-five dB by vigorous regulatory and planning actions;
D. To strive for an eventual reduction of noise levels to an Ldn of fifty-five dB.

(Ord. 2188 § 2, 2001)

Exceptions & meaning →