Riverside Municipal Code Ch. 7.10 Definitions

For the purposes of this title, the words and phrases defined in this chapter shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this chapter.

(Ord. 7489 § 3, 2019)

A-weighted sound level" means the sound pressure level in decibels as measured on a sound-level meter using the A-weighing network. The level is designated dB(A) or dBA.

(Ord. 7489 § 4, 2019; Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Agricultural property" means a parcel of real property which is developed for agricultural and incidental residential purposes which is located within any permitted zone.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Ambient noise level" means the all-encompassing noise level associated with a given environment, being a composite of sounds from all sources, excluding an alleged offensive noise, at the location and approximate time at which the comparison with the offensive noise is to be made. The ambient noise level constitutes the normal or existing level of environmental noise at a given location.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Commercial purpose" means the use, operation or maintenance of any sound amplification equipment for the purpose of advertising any business, goods or services, or for the purposes of attracting the attention of the public, or soliciting patronage of customers to any performance, show, entertainment, exhibition or event, or for the purpose of demonstrating such sound equipment.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Construction" means any site preparation including grading, building, fabricating, assembly, substantial repair, alteration, blasting, jack hammering, pile drivers and the like.

(Ord. 7489 § 5, 2019; Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Community & Economic Development Director" means the duly appointed and acting head of the Community & Economic Development Department and/or his/her designee.

(Ord. 7489 § 6, 2019)

"Community support land use category" means areas developed with schools, libraries, fire stations, hospitals and similar uses in any zone.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Cumulative period" means a total period of time composed of time segments which may be continuous or discontinuous.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Decibel (dB)" means a unit for measuring amplitude of a sound, equal to 20 times the logarithm to the base ten of the ratio of the pressure of the sound measured to the reference pressure, which is 20 micropascals (20 micronewtons per square meter).

(Ord. 7489 § 7, 2019; Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Demolition" means any dismantling, intentional destruction or removal of structures, site improvements, landscaping or utilities.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

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

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Emergency work" means work made necessary to restore property to a safe condition following a physical trauma or property damage caused by an emergency or work necessary to prevent or minimize damage from a potential emergency.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Fixed noise source" means a stationary device which creates sounds from a fixed location, including residential, agricultural, industrial and commercial machinery and equipment, pumps fans, compressors, air conditioners and refrigeration devices.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Grading" means any excavating and/or filling of earth material to prepare a site for construction or the placement of improvements.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Impulsive sound" means sound of short duration, usually less than one second, with an abrupt onset and rapid decay. Examples include explosions, drum beats, drop-forge impacts, fire crackers, discharge of firearms and one object striking another.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Industrial land use category" means any area occupied by land uses whose primary operation involves warehousing, manufacturing, assembling, distributing, packaging or processing goods in the BMP, I, and AIR zones.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Intrusive noise" means a noise which intrudes over and above the existing ambient noise. The relative intrusiveness of the sound depends upon its amplitude, duration, frequency and time of occurrence, tonal or informational content as well as its relationship to the prevailing ambient noise level.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Minor maintenance" means work required to keep property used for residential purposes in an existing state.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Mobile noise source" means any noise source other than a fixed noise source.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Motor vehicle" means any self-propelled vehicle as defined in the California Vehicle Code, including all on-highway types of motor vehicles subject to registration under said code, and all off-highway type motor vehicles subject to identification under said code.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Muffler or sound dissipative device" means a device for abating the sound of escaping gases from an internal combustion engine.

(Ord. 7489 § 8, 2019; Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Noise" means any sound which exceeds the appropriate actual or presumed ambient noise level or which annoys or tends to disturb humans or which causes or tends to cause an adverse psychological or physiological effect on humans.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Noise Control Officer" means the City official(s) or duly authorized representative(s) with the responsibility to enforce the noise ordinance.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Noise disturbance" means any sound which, as judged by a City police officer or code enforcement officer, annoys or disturbs a reasonable person of normal sensitivities or exceeds a standard set forth in this title.

(Ord. 7489 § 9, 2019; Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Noise source" means a disturbance causing operation which originates from noise generating mechanism. An example of a noise source is the combination of a motor, pump and compressor.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Noise zone" means defined areas of generally consistent land use where the ambient noise levels are generally similar within a range of five decibels.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Nonurban land use category" means vacant land or land primarily for agricultural production containing ten acres or more.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Office/commercial land use category" means areas developed with office and/or commercial uses in the O, CRC, CR-NC, CR, and CG zones.

(Ord. 6967 § 2, 2007; Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Person" means any individual, association, partnership or corporation and includes any officer, employee, department, agency or instrumentality of a State or any political subdivision of a State.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Powered model vehicle" means airborne, waterborne or land-borne vehicles such as model airplanes, model boats, and model vehicles of any type or size which are not designed for carrying persons or property and which can be propelled in any form other than manpower or wind power.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Public recreation facility land use category" means areas developed with public parks and other public recreational facilities.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Public right-of-way" means any street, avenue, boulevard, highway, sidewalk or alley or similar place which is owned or controlled by a government entity.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Public space" means any real property or structures which are owned or controlled by a government entity.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Residential land use category" means areas primarily used for residential purposes in the RE, RA-5, RR, RC, R-1-1-1/2 acre, R-1-13000, R-1-10500, R-1-8500, R-1-7000, R-3-2500, R-3-4000, R-3-3000, R-3-2000, R-3-1500, and R-4 zones.

(Ord. 6967, § 2, 2007; Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Sound" means an oscillation in pressure, particle displacement, particle velocity or other physical parameter, in a medium with internal forces that causes compression and rarefaction of that medium. The description of sound may include any characteristic of such sound, including duration, intensity and frequency.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Sound amplifying equipment" means any device for the amplification of the human voice, or music, or any other sound, excluding devices in motor vehicles when heard only by the occupants of the vehicle, excluding warning devices on authorized emergency vehicles or horns or other warning devices on any vehicle used only for traffic safety purposes.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Sound level" means the weighted sound pressure level obtained by the use of a sound level meter and frequency weighing network, such as A, B or C, as specified in American National Standards Institute specifications for sound level meter ANSI S1.4-1971 or the latest approved revision thereof. If the frequency weighing method used is not stated, the A-weighing shall apply.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Sound level meter" means an instrument, including a microphone, an amplifier, an output meter, and frequency weighing networks for the measurement of sound levels which satisfies the requirements for S2A meters in American National Standards Institute specifications for sound level meters, S1.4-1971, or the most recent revision thereof.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Sound pressure" means the instantaneous difference between the actual pressure and the average or barometric pressure at a given point in space, as produced by sound energy.

(Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

"Sound pressure level" means 20 times the logarithm to the base ten of the ratio of the pressure of this sound to the reference pressure, which reference pressure shall be explicitly stated.

(Ord. 7489 § 10, 2019; Ord. 6273 § 1(part), 1996)

Definitions of technical terms not defined herein shall be obtained from the American National Standard, "Acoustical Terminology" S1.1-1961 (R-1971) or the latest revision thereof.

(Ord. 6273 § 1 (part), 1996)