San Anselmo Municipal Code Art. 2 Special Noise Sources

It shall be unlawful for any person to use any drum or other instrument or device of any kind for the purpose of attracting attention by the creation of noise within the Town. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person who is a participant in a school band or duly licensed parade or who has been otherwise duly authorized to engage in such conduct.

(Ord. 685, eff. March 13, 1975)

It shall be unlawful for any person to create any noise (whether amplified or not) on any street, sidewalk, or public place adjacent to any school, institution of learning, or church or adjacent to any hospital, which noise unreasonably interferes with the workings of such institution or which disturbs or unduly annoys patients in the hospital.

(Ord. 685, eff. March 13, 1975)

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this section, for a period of two (2) years after March 13, 1975, it shall be unlawful to operate any powered equipment if the operation of such equipment emits a noise level of eighty-five (85) dBA when measured at the loudest point fifty (50′) feet away from the equipment. On and after March 13, 1977, the permissible noise level shall be reduced to eighty (80) dBA.

(b) Impact tools and equipment shall be excluded from the provisions of subsection (a) of this section; provided, however, on or after September 13, 1975, such impact tools and equipment shall have intake and exhaust mufflers recommended by the manufacturers thereof; and provided, further, pavement breakers and jackhammers shall also be equipped with acoustically attenuating shields or shrouds recommended by the manufacturers thereof. In lieu of or in the absence of manufacturers' recommendations, the Director of Public Works shall have the authority to prescribe such means of accomplishing maximum noise attenuation as he deems to be in the public interest, considering the available technology and economic feasibility.

(c) Construction or demolition work may be performed during the following times: Mondays through Fridays from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; provided, however, such hours shall be extended until 8:00 p.m. for work performed by homeowners or residents upon their own property.

Construction or demolition work shall be allowed at any time provided the noise level does not exceed five (5) dBA above the ambient at the nearest property plane with allowance for correction factors as set forth in subsection (b) of Section 4-7.104 of Article I of this chapter.

(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to emergency work as defined in subsection (e) of Section 4-7.102 of Article 1 of this chapter.

(Ord. 685, eff. March 13, 1975, as amended by § 1, Ord. 983, eff. June 26, 1997)

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person authorized to engage in waste disposal services or garbage collection to provide such services in such a manner that a reasonable person of normal sensitiveness working or residing in the area is caused discomfort or annoyance or whose peace is disturbed. For the purposes of this section, noise emitted by equipment shall not be deemed unlawful if the person engaged in such services has, to the extent reasonably feasible in the judgment of the Director of Public Works, incorporated available sound-deadening devices into equipment used in rendering such services.

(b) Any person authorized to engage in waste disposal services or garbage collection shall not operate any truck-mounted waste or garbage loading and/or compacting equipment or similar mechanical device acquired on or after March 13, 1975, in a manner to create noise exceeding seventy-five (75) dBA measured at a distance of fifty (50′) feet from the equipment.

(c) Mechanical street sweepers shall not operate in a manner to create noise exceeding eighty (80) dBA on or after September 13, 1975, and seventy-five (75) dBA on or after March 13, 1977.

(Ord. 685, eff. March 13, 1975)

(a) Operation. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any motor-driven vehicle within the Town in such a manner that a person of normal sensitiveness residing or working in the area is caused discomfort or annoyance or whose peace is disturbed; provided, however, any motor-driven vehicle which may be lawfully operated upon any public highway, street, or right-of-way shall be excluded from the provisions of this section while being operated on any public highway, street, or right-of-way, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Motor vehicle horns. It shall be unlawful for any person within the Town to sound a vehicular horn within any residential zone, including the blowing of horns as an announcing signal around curves, except as a warning signal in the case of imminent danger as provided in Section 27001 of the Vehicle Code of the State.

(c) Exceptions. The provisions of this section shall not apply to emergency work as defined in subsection (e) of Section 4-7.102 of this article.

(d) Vehicle or other nonstationary noise sources. It shall be unlawful for any person within any residential area of the Town to repair, rebuild, or test any motor-driven vehicle or other nonstationary source of noise in such a manner that any person of normal sensitiveness working or residing in the area is caused discomfort or annoyance or whose peace is disturbed.

(e) Powered models. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any powered model in such a manner that a person of normal sensitiveness residing or working in the area is caused discomfort.

(Ord. 685, eff. March 13, 1975)

(a) Miscellaneous nonstationary noise sources, such as electric or gasoline-driven lawn mowers, power saws, chain saws, concrete mixers, edge trimmers, hedge trimmers, and other similar movable noise sources shall be operated during the following times: Mondays through Fridays from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; provided, however, such hours shall be extended until 10:00 p.m. for work performed by homeowners or residents upon their own property. Additionally, such noise sources may be operated at any time provided the noise level does not exceed five (5) dBA above the ambient at the nearest property plane with allowance for correction factors as set forth in subsection (b) of Section 4-7.104 of Article 1 of this chapter. The Director of Public Works may, in his discretion, impose additional or different noise level standards for such devices in lieu of those set forth in Section 4-7.104 of Article 1 of this chapter considering available technology and economic feasibility.

(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to emergency work as defined in subsection (e) of Section 4-7.102 of Article 1 of this chapter.

(Ord. 685, eff. March 13, 1975)

(a) As specified in Title 5 Chapter 7 of the Code, it is unlawful for any person to operate a Two-Cycle Leaf Blower at any time in the Town.

(b) Restricted Hours for Leaf Blowers. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any leaf blower during the following times:

(1) Residential Properties Other Than Multi-Unit Residences. No leaf blower may be operated at any residential property that is not a multi-unit residence except between the hours of nine (9:00) a.m. and five (5:00) p.m. on weekdays and between the hours of ten (10:00) a.m. and four (4:00) p.m. on Saturdays.

(2) Other Properties and Use by Town. No leaf blower may be operated at any multi-unit residence or nonresidential property, and no leaf blower may be operated by on-duty staff or contractors of the Town, except between the hours of seven (7:00) a.m. and five (5:00) p.m. on weekdays, and between the hours of ten (10:00) a.m. and four (4:00) p.m. on Saturdays.

(3) Sundays and Holidays. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a leaf blower in any area of the Town on Sundays or federal holidays.

(Ord. 951, eff. October 28, 1993, as amended by Ord. 957, eff. June 10, 1994)

(Ord. No. 1157, § 3, 9-28-2021)