8.25.040 Special noise sources.
A. Power Plant Equipment. It is unlawful for the noise level of power plant equipment during normal operation to exceed the industrial community noise standards set forth in SCC 8.25.030.
B. Sound Trucks – Loudspeakers – Other Sound Amplifiers. It is unlawful to play, operate or use any device known as a sound truck, loudspeaker or sound amplifier, radio or phonograph with a loudspeaker or sound amplifier or any instrument of any kind or character which emits loud and raucous noises from any vehicle.
C. Motor Vehicles.
1. Vehicle Repair. It shall be unlawful for any person within any residential area of the city to repair, rebuild or test any motor vehicle (between the hours of 10:00 p.m. of one day and 7:00 a.m. of the next day) in such a manner that a reasonable person of normal sensitiveness residing in the area is caused discomfort or annoyance.
2. Motor Vehicle Mufflers. It is unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle which shall not at all times be equipped with a muffler upon the exhaust thereof in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise, and it is unlawful for any person operating any motor vehicle to use a cutout, bypass or similar muffler elimination appliance.
3. Braking Devices. It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to use or operate or cause to be used or operated within the city any compression release or other engine braking device designed to aid in the braking or deceleration of any vehicle which results in noise in excess of that which would otherwise be produced from such vehicle without such braking device. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to public safety vehicles.
4. Vehicle Operation. Except as authorized by law, no person shall operate either a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles at any time or under any condition of grade, load, acceleration or deceleration in such a manner as to exceed the following noise limit of the category of motor vehicle based on a distance of 50 feet from the center of the lane or travel within the speed limits specified in the following table:
Speed Limit of 35 mph or Less | Speed Limit of More Than 35 mph | |
(i) Any motor vehicle with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 pounds or more, any combination of vehicles towed by such motor vehicle, and any motorcycle other than a motor-driven cycle (moped) | 88 dB(A) | 92 dB(A) |
(ii) Any other motor vehicle and any combination of vehicles towed by such motor vehicles | 82 dB(A) | 86 dB(A) |
D. Schools, Churches and Hospitals. 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, that conspicuous signs are displayed in such streets, sidewalk or public place indicating the presence of a school, church or hospital.
E. Burglar Alarms. An exterior burglar alarm of a building or motor vehicle must be activated in such a manner that the burglar alarm terminates its operation within five minutes for continuous airborne sound and 15 minutes for impulsive sound after it has been activated. At all times, the limits of the applicable community noise standards set forth in SCC 8.25.030 do not apply.
F. Animals. Domesticated or caged nonfarm animals may not bark, squeal, crow, howl or make any other such noises for more than five minutes if continuous or more than 15 minutes if intermittent. At all times, the limits of the applicable community noise standards set forth in SCC 8.25.030 do not apply.
G. Specific Acts Prohibited.
1. The playing of any radio, stereo, player, or other sound device, including, but not limited to, “boom boxes” or other devices for reproduction or amplification of sound, from a public street, public property or public right-of-way in such a manner as to be plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet or greater in any direction between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., such equipment shall not be operated in such a manner that it is plainly audible at a distance of 25 feet in any direction.
2. The playing of any musical instrument, including, but not limited to, guitar, keyboard, drums or other musical instrument, from a public street, public property or public right-of-way in such a manner as to be plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet or greater in any direction between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., sound from such equipment shall not be plainly audible by any person other than the operator. [Ord. 2021-08 § 1, 11-9-2021; Res. 2021-28 Exh. A, 11-9-2021].