Noise Guidelines

.pdf version of this Noise Guideline document.

These Guidelines provide:

q       A brief overview of noise

q       How sound propagates

q       Noise Standards (dogs, outdoor music, construction noise and commercial activity)

q       Enforcement

Overview of Noise

Noise is defined as any sound you don’t want to hear. Although this is a subjective definition, it is possible to measure noise levels objectively and compare them to reference sound levels. Most noise guidelines refer to a maximum allowable decibel (dB) level, using an A-weighted sound scale (dBA). The decibel scale is a logarithmic expression of sound power; hand-held sound level meters read out in decibels or dB.

Examples of common sound levels at the source:

Normal conversation                 50dB                Band Music                  115dB

Vacuum cleaner                        74dB                Busy street traffic          70dB

Circular saw                             107dB              Power mower               92dB

Heavy truck at 90ft (40mph)     99dB                Tailpipe damage           109dB

Sound Propagation                                                                

Many factors affect sound propagation outdoors, including: ground surfaces, air temperature, altitude and relative altitude, humidity, wind speed and direction, and distance of sound source. Here are a few general rules about sound propagation:

• Sound travels easier through thin air at high altitude than through thicker lower altitude air.
• Sound travels faster through dry air than humid air.
• Sound moves faster when the air temperature is warmer than when it is colder. (ANSI S12.18-1994)
• Sometimes sounds are masked near a source, but clearly audible in quieter areas farther away.  Sound outdoors reaches a receiver by both direct and reflected paths. The magnitude of reflected sound depends on the ground surface and the angle. Hard ground has low porosity and tends to be highly reflective, absorbing very little acoustic energy upon reflection. At angles off the ground greater than 20 degrees, which occur in cases of elevated sources, even soft ground becomes a good reflector of sound
• For distances over 100 meters, termed long-range propagation, wind and its

direction play an important role. Wind pushes sound through the air faster and if a source is upwind and a receiver is downwind sound waves bend downward  resulting in a condition advantageous to sound propagation. This can explain why sound levels downwind of a noise source are more easily detected or heard as compared to the listening conditions upwind. The frequency content of sound also changes with distance—low frequency sounds such as bass travel further than high frequency sounds and are usually the cause of noise complaints.

• Relative altitude can affect the rate of propagation, along with wind and altitude. If a noise source is higher than a receiver, sound is less impeded due to thinner air, lower humidity and angle of reflection.
• The intensity of noise diminishes with distance. Outdoors, and in absence of any close reflecting surface, the effective decibel level diminishes at a rate of 6 dB for each factor of two increase in distance. For example , a sound measuring 100dB at 10 meters would be 94dB at 20 meters, 88 dB at 40 meters, and so on.

Noise Guideline Standards: (EPA, 1974)

Enforcement  

If an offensive noise exceeds the levels set in the guidelines or occurs outside the set time restrictions penalty notices can be given per the EPA’s Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997. Individual fines maybe up to $200.00 or business up to $400.00. The maximum penalty is $5000.00 per act.

Dealing with Community Noise Complaints:

1. First try to talk to people. Try to solve the problem amicably by talking to whoever is causing the noise. Often people do not realize they are being noisy and are happy to work with you to solve the problem.

2. Contact your Association Manager. They can serve various notices/warnings requiring the noise to be controlled and advising what noise levels are acceptable.
1. Use of a Sound Level Meter
2. Noise mitigation techniques for new development, residential activities and construction.
3. Noise control compliance

3. A noise abatement direction may be issued if the noise continues after warning/notices. It can be enforced up to 28 days from the time it was issued. Any person who fails to comply with it can be fined up to a maximum of $5000.00 per act or issued with a $200.00 on- the-spot fine ($400.00 for a business).

4.   Unpaid fines will be collected via our property lien process.

Construction

 “Noise Generating Activities include,” but are not limited to, the following:

Operation of Heavy Equipment                                     Operation of Light Equipment

Tractors                                                                       Jackhammers

Backhoes                                                                     Vibratory Compactors

Graders                                                                        Generators      

Pile Drivers                                                                   Augers

Cranes                                                                         Etc.

Forklifts

Dump Trucks

Water Trucks

Etc.

Use of Hand Tools                                                       Other Activities

Hammers                                                                      Loud Radios

Power Saws                                                                 Yelling

Drills                                                                            Whistling

Nail/Staple Guns                                                           Etc.

Etc.