Torrance Municipal Code Art. 2 Special Noise Sources

a) Use Restricted. It shall be unlawful for any person within the City of Torrance to use or operate any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph, television set, or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound at any time in such a manner as to produce noise levels on residential land which would disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of neighboring residents or any reasonable person of normal sensitiveness residing in the area.

b) Prima Facie Violation. Any noise exceeding the ambient noise level at the property line of any residential land (or if a condominium or apartment house, within any adjoining apartment) by more than five (5) decibels shall be deemed to be prima facie evidence of a violation of the provisions of this Section.

It shall be unlawful for any person within the City to sell anything by outcry within any area of the City utilized for residential purposes. The provisions of this Section shall not be construed to prohibit the selling by outcry of merchandise, food and beverages at licensed sporting events, parades, fairs, circuses and other similar licensed public entertainment events.

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 City. 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 by the City to engage in such conduct.

It shall be unlawful for any person to create any noise on any street, sidewalk or public place adjacent to any school, institution of learning or church while the same is in use 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, provided conspicuous signs are displayed in such streets, sidewalks or public place indicating the presence of a school, church or hospital.

No person shall keep or maintain, or permit the keeping of upon any premises owned, occupied or controlled by such person, any animal or fowl otherwise permitted to be kept which, by any sound, cry or behavior shall cause annoyance or discomfort to a reasonable person of normal sensitiveness on any residential land.

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any machinery, equipment, pump, fan, air conditioning apparatus or similar mechanical device in any manner so as to create any noise which would cause the noise level at the property line of any residential land to exceed the ambient noise level by more than five (5) decibels.

(Added by O-2528)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, or cause to be operated any oil production equipment in any manner so as to create any noise which would cause the noise level at the nearest property line of any residential land to exceed the ambient noise level by more than five (5) decibels; provided, however, that the aforesaid provisions of this Section shall not apply to oil production equipment being used in the drilling, redrilling, deepening, repair, maintenance or abandonment of an oil well.

(Added by O-3894)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or sound or cause to be operated or sounded, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. of one day and 7:00 a.m. of the next day, a train horn or train whistle which creates noise in excess of ninety-six (96) dB at any place or point three hundred (300) feet or more distant from along a line normal to the direction of travel of the source of such sound.