Torrance Municipal Code Art. 3 Construction

(Amended by O-3712)

a) It shall be unlawful for any person within the City of Torrance to operate power construction tools, equipment, or engage in the performance of any outside construction or repair work on buildings, structures, or projects in or adjacent to a residential area involving the creation of noise beyond 50 decibels (db) as measured at property lines, except between the hours of 7:30 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Monday through Friday and 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Saturdays. Construction shall be prohibited on Sundays and Holidays observed by City Hall. An exception exists between the hours of 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. for homeowners that reside at the property.

b) The Community Development Director may allow expanded hours and days of construction if unusual circumstances and conditions exist. Such requests must be made in writing and must receive approval by the Director prior to any expansion of the hour and day restrictions listed above.

c) Every construction project requiring Planning Commission review or considered to be a significant remodel as defined by Section 231.1.2, shall be required to post an information board along the front property line that displays the property owner’s name and contact number, contractor’s name and contact number, a copy of TMC Section 46.3.1, a list of any special conditions, and the Code Enforcement phone number where violations can be reported.

d) Properties zoned as commercial, industrial or within an established redevelopment District, are exempted from the above day and hour restrictions if a minimum buffer of 300 feet is maintained from the subject property’s property line to the closest residential property. The Community Development Director, may, however, revoke such exemption for a particular project if the noise level exceeds 50 decibels (db) at the property line of a residential property beyond the 300 linear foot buffer.

e) Heavy construction equipment such as pile drivers, mechanical shovels, derricks, hoists, pneumatic hammers, compressors or similar devices shall not be operated at any time, within or adjacent to a residential area, without first obtaining from the Community Development Director permission to do so. Such request for permission shall include a list and type of equipment to be used, the requested hours and locations of its use, and the applicant shall be required to show that the selection of equipment and construction techniques has been based on minimization of noise within the limitations of such equipment as is commercially available or combinations of such equipment and auxiliary sound barriers. Such permission to operate heavy construction equipment will be revoked if operation of such equipment is not in accordance to approval. No permission shall be required to perform emergency work as defined in Article 1 of this Chapter.

(Added by O-2528)

a) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate machinery or power tools for the repair, maintenance or abandonment of oil well equipment on Sundays and legal holidays and, except between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M., on any other day; provided, however, that the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any well, the surface of which is three hundred (300) or more feet from any dwelling.

b) It shall be unlawful for any person to conduct oil drilling or redrilling operations other than circulation of mud, on Sundays and legal holidays and, except between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M., on any other day; provided, however, that the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any well the surface of which is three hundred (300) or more feet from any dwelling.

c) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate machinery or power tools for the repair, maintenance or abandonment of oil well equipment or to conduct oil well drilling or redrilling operations at any time within three hundred (300) feet of any dwelling without first obtaining from the Director of Building and Safety permission to do so. Such request for permission shall include a list and type of equipment to be used, the requested hours and locations of its use. The Director of Building and Safety shall issue such permit only if the applicant demonstrates to the reasonable satisfaction of the Director that the selection of equipment and construction techniques has been based on minimization of noise within the limitations of such equipment as is commercially available or combinations of such equipment and auxiliary sound barriers or acoustical sound blankets as provided in Section 46.3.3. Such permission to operate oil well equipment shall be revoked if such equipment is not operated and construction is not accomplished in accordance with the conditions of approval. No permission shall be required to perform emergency work as defined in Article 1 of this Chapter. The person performing such emergency work shall first notify the occupants of adjacent residences and the Torrance Police Department as to the nature and extent of the work to be performed.

(Added by O-2528)

Acoustical blankets shall be made of fibrous glass insulation 1-1/2 inches thick, 0.50 pounds per cubic foot density, 0.63 pounds per square foot weight, .00010 to .00015 fibre diameter (inches) with phenolic binder having a temperature limit of 450 degrees F. sewed between layers of fire retardant vinyl fibre glass cloth, 15-17 ounces per square yard sewed with dacron thread D-92 with stitches not more than six (6) to the inch. The lacing cord shall be flat vinyl coated tape composed of fibrous glass yard braided, heat set and bonded. The tape shall have a 90 pound tensile strength. Grommets shall be No. 4 brass. Provided, however, that there may be substituted for the aforesaid specifications an acoustical blanket which in the opinion of the Director of Building and Safety is equal to sound-proofing ability and fire resistive qualities to the aforesaid specifications.