Redwood City Municipal Code § 24.35 Exemptions

The following are deemed to be excessive and unreasonable noises:

A. Noise levels generated by loud equipment or construction activities, including demolition, alteration, repair, landscaping, or remodeling of or to existing structures and construction of new structures on property within the City, at more than one hundred ten (110) dB measured at any point within a residential district of the City and outside of the plane of said property;

B. Any noise generated by construction activities that persists for ten (10) continuous minutes or more outside of the hours identified in Section 24.32 of this Code;

C. Noise levels generated by an individual item of machinery, equipment or device used during construction activities, including demolition, alteration, repair or remodeling of or to existing structures and construction of new structures on property within the City, at more than one hundred ten (110) dB measured within a residential district of the City at a distance of twenty-five (25) feet from said machinery, equipment or device. If said machinery, equipment or device is housed within a structure on the property, then the measurement shall be made at a distance as near to twenty-five (25) feet from said machinery, equipment or device as possible.

(Ord. No. 2013, § 1, 4-2-90)

(Ord. No. 2472, § 5(Exh. A), 11-25-19)

It shall be unlawful for any person to suffer or allow noise levels to be generated by:

A. Construction activities, including demolition, landscaping work, landscaping equipment, alteration, repair or remodeling of or to existing structures and construction of new structures on property within the City, at more than one hundred ten (110) dB measured at any point within a residential district of the City and outside of the plane of said property; or

B. An individual item of machinery, equipment or device used during construction activities, including demolition, alteration, repair or remodeling of or to existing structures and construction of new structures on property within the City, at more than 110 dB measured within a residential district of the City at a distance of twenty-five feet (25′) from said machinery, equipment or device. If said machinery, equipment or device is housed within a structure on the property, then the measurement shall be made at a distance as near to twenty-five feet (25′) from said machinery, equipment or device as possible.

(Ord. No. 2013, § 1, 4-2-90)

(Ord. No. 2551, § 3(Exh. C), 9-29-25)

A. General construction noise on private projects shall be limited to weekdays from seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. to eight o'clock (8:00) P.M. Excessive or unreasonable construction noises, as identified under Section 24.30, shall be limited to weekdays from nine o'clock (9:00) A.M. to four o'clock (4:00) P.M. General and excessive or unreasonable construction noise is prohibited during holiday periods, as indicated on the City website.

B. Preconstruction noise including, but not limited to, loading and unloading, cleaning of mechanical toilets, maintenance of vehicles, deliveries, truck idling, backup beeps, yelling and radios is also limited to the general and excessive or unreasonable construction noise hours.

C. The Building Official or their designee may approve construction work occurring outside the times described in Section A and B above for private projects. A request for work outside the designated periods must be received by the Building Official or their designee prior to construction. A copy of the approved request shall be kept on the site of the work.

(Ord. No. 2013, § 1, 4-2-90)

(Ord. No. 2472, § 5(Exh. A), 11-25-19)

A. Generally: The owner of any property in a residential district of the City or of any property located within five hundred feet (500′) of any such district upon which construction activities, including demolition, alteration, repair or remodeling of or to existing structures, and construction of new structures are proposed to occur, shall post a sign at all entrances to the work site prior to commencement of the work for the purpose of informing all contractors and subcontractors, their employees, agents, materialmen and all other persons at the property of the basic limitations upon noise and construction activities provided in this Division. Said sign(s) shall be posted at least five feet (5′) above ground level and shall be on a white background with black lettering, which lettering shall be a minimum of one and one-half inches (1 ½″) in height.

B. Sign Text: Said sign(s) shall read as follows:

NOISE LIMITATIONS UPON WORK ON PROPERTIES IN OR NEAR RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS

(Includes any and all deliveries)

NOISE PROHIBITED

MONDAYS through FRIDAYS .....8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.

SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS and HOLIDAYS .....ALL DAY

During the foregoing periods, no noise above the local ambient level in Residential Districts shall be generated by construction work or activities.

WORK NOISE LIMITS AT ALL OTHER TIMES:

1. No individual item of machinery, equipment, or device used in or near a residential district shall produce sound in excess of 110 dBA, measured twenty five feet (25′) from such machinery, equipment, or device;

2. Work noise level at any point outside of the construction site property plane shall not exceed 110 dBA within any part of a residential district.

The foregoing provisions are requirements of the Noise Regulations of the City, violations of which are punishable pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter.

(Ord. No. 2013, § 1, 4-2-1990)

Upon a showing by a property owner to the enforcement officer that a diligent investigation of available noise abatement techniques indicates that compliance with the requirements of this Division would be impracticable or unreasonable, the enforcement officer may issue a permit allowing an exception to the provisions contained in all or any portion of this Division subject to such reasonable and appropriate conditions as the enforcement officer may impose, including, but not limited to, a compliance schedule, restrictions upon construction methods or use of machinery, equipment or devices, permission to engage in construction activities on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays only between the hours of nine o'clock (9:00) A.M. and eight o'clock (8:00) P.M., or implementation of such other practices as the enforcement officer deems appropriate. Any such permit shall be effective for a period not to exceed six (6) months and shall be of such reasonably short duration as the enforcement officer shall determine giving due regard to the extent and the complexity of the construction to which it pertains.

Any person aggrieved by the decision of the enforcement officer in issuing or denying the issuance of a permit pursuant to this Section may appeal the enforcement officer's decision to the Community Development Director. Such appeal shall be filed, processed and heard in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 1 of this Municipal Code.

(Ord. No. 2013, § 1, 4-2-1990; Ord. No. 2167, § 1, 7-26-1999)

(Ord. No. 2374, § 16, 1-9-12)

Noise levels generated by construction activities, including demolition, alteration, repair or remodeling of or to existing structures and the construction of new structures on property within the City: a) in the course or within the scope of emergency work; and b) in the course of work performed personally by the owner or resident of a dwelling unit with respect to said unit on Mondays through Fridays between the hours of seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. and eight o'clock (8:00) P.M. and on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays between the hours of nine o'clock (9:00) A.M. and five o'clock (5:00) P.M., are exempt from the provisions of this Division.

(Ord. No. 2013, § 1, 4-2-1990; Ord. No. 2167, § 2, 7-26-1999)

(Ord. No. 2551, § 3(Exh. C), 9-29-25)