How Yakima Handles Noise Ordinances: A Practical Guide

Yakima maintains 106 local ordinances across all categories, and 9 of those deal specifically with noise ordinances. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Yakima falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Aircraft Noise

Aircraft-in-flight noise is preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration under the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990. Yakima Air Terminal-McAllister Field (KYKM / YKM) is owned by the City of Yakima and Yakima County and located on the southwest edge of the city. YMC Chapter 6.04 does not regulate aircraft noise, and WAC 173-60-050 expressly exempts aircraft in flight and airport operations from state environmental noise levels. Complaints route to the Yakima Air Terminal administration, not to YPD.

Key details: Local Aircraft Noise Rule: None - federally preempted (FAA / ANCA 1990). Airport: Yakima Air Terminal-McAllister Field (KYKM / YKM). Ownership: City of Yakima and Yakima County (joint). Runways: 9/27 (9,401 ft) and 4/22 (3,835 ft). State Exemption: WAC 173-60-050 - aircraft in flight and airport operations exempt.

No city-issued noise citation is possible for aircraft in flight (federally preempted). Aircraft noise complaints route to Yakima Air Terminal administration (the FAA local airport district office at 509-575-6149 for airport-related complaints). The federal mechanism for community-wide aircraft noise assessment and potential mitigation funding is the FAA Part 150 noise compatibility study process. WAC 173-60-050 expressly exempts aircraft in flight and airport flight operations from state environmental noise enforcement.

Yakima is more permissive than most cities when it comes to aircraft noise. That said, there are still limits.

Amplified Music & Events

Yakima regulates amplified music through two layers. YMC Chapter 6.04 public-disturbance-noise standard applies to any amplified sound that by its intensity, volume, frequency, duration or character unreasonably disturbs others. For permitted outdoor events, the City of Yakima Special Event Permit Guidelines impose a hard cap of 95 dB measured at the property line over a sustained 10-minute period and limit outdoor music to between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. (with exceptions approved by the City Manager).

Key details: Code Authority: YMC 6.04 (public disturbance noise) + Special Event Permit Guidelines (YMC Ch. 9.70). Special Event Cap: 95 dB at property line, sustained 10 minutes. Special Event Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (exceptions via City Manager). Receiving-Property Cap: WAC 173-60-040 - 55 dBA day / 45 dBA night Class A. Regulatory Permit: YMC 6.04.180 - Office of Code Administration.

Amplified sound that unreasonably disturbs peace, comfort and repose is a YMC Chapter 6.04 misdemeanor. Permitted-event sound exceeding 95 dB at the property line over a 10-minute sustained period, or operating outside the 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. window without City Manager approval, violates the Special Event Permit Guidelines and can trigger permit revocation or denial of future permits. Sound levels exceeding WAC 173-60-040 receiving-property caps may also be referred to the Department of Ecology / Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency. Report to SunComm 509-575-6200.

Quiet Hours

Yakima does not publish numeric clock-time quiet hours in its own code; instead, YMC Chapter 6.04 (Offenses Against Public Order and Peace) makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly cause, permit, or allow to emanate from property any 'public disturbance noise' - defined as a sound which by its intensity, volume, frequency, duration or character unreasonably disturbs or interferes with the peace, comfort and repose of others. Where no local clock-time rule applies, WAC 173-60-040 imposes a Class A nighttime reduction of 10 dBA between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on residential receiving property.

Key details: Code Authority: YMC Chapter 6.04 (Offenses Against Public Order and Peace) - Public Disturbance Noise. Clock-Time Quiet Hours: None codified in YMC - reasonableness standard applies. State Nighttime Window: 10:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. (WAC 173-60-040 Class A 10 dBA reduction). State Residential Cap: 55 dBA day / 45 dBA night at receiving Class A property (WAC 173-60-040). Permit: YMC 6.04.180 - Office of Code Administration may issue regulatory permit.

Violation of YMC 6.04 public disturbance noise is a misdemeanor under the chapter's penalty provisions, in addition to potential charges under RCW 9A.84.030 (disorderly conduct - gross misdemeanor for unreasonable noise that intentionally disturbs others). Report active disturbances to Yakima Police non-emergency dispatch via SunComm 509-575-6200; route pattern / code-compliance complaints to Yakima Code Administration at 509-576-6657. Regulatory permits to make noise otherwise prohibited are issued by the Office of Code Administration under YMC 6.04.180.

Decibel Limits

Yakima Municipal Code Chapter 6.04 itself does NOT codify a numeric dBA cap - it operates on a reasonableness standard for 'public disturbance noise.' Numeric limits come from two other sources: (1) WAC 173-60-040 statewide Maximum Environmental Noise Levels imposing the 55/57/60 + 60/65/70 dBA source-to-receiving matrix with a 10 dBA Class A nighttime reduction, and (2) the City Special Event Permit Guidelines hard cap of 95 dB at the property line sustained over a 10-minute period.

Key details: City Numeric Cap: None codified in YMC 6.04 - reasonableness standard. State Class A Residential Cap: 55 dBA day / 45 dBA night (WAC 173-60-040). State Class B Commercial Cap: 60 dBA day / 60 dBA night (no night reduction). State Class C Industrial Cap: 70 dBA day / 70 dBA night (no night reduction). Nighttime Reduction: 10 dBA at Class A receiving property between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m..

Sound exceeding WAC 173-60-040 receiving-property caps is enforced by the Department of Ecology / Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency / local police as a civil or misdemeanor violation. Public disturbance noise under YMC 6.04 is a misdemeanor without a numeric trigger. Special-event sound exceeding 95 dB at the property line sustained 10 minutes triggers permit-condition enforcement (denial of future permits, on-scene shutdown). RCW 9A.84.030 disorderly conduct (gross misdemeanor) is also available. Report to SunComm 509-575-6200.

Construction Hours

Yakima does not publish a clock-time construction-hours window in YMC Chapter 6.04. Construction noise is governed by the YMC 6.04 public-disturbance-noise standard (reasonableness) plus WAC 173-60-050's statewide exemption that exempts 'sounds originating from temporary construction sites as a result of construction activity' from environmental noise levels EXCEPT between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. when the noise affects Class A (residential) receiving property. Routine daytime construction is therefore permitted; nighttime construction near residential parcels is the practical trigger.

Key details: Codified Window: None in YMC - default reasonableness standard. State Exemption Boundary: 10:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. for noise affecting Class A (residential) (WAC 173-60-050). Effective Allowed Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (state exemption applies). After-Hours Authority: YMC 6.04.180 regulatory permit from Office of Code Administration. Permit Office: Yakima Code Administration 509-576-6657.

Construction noise outside the WAC 173-60-050 daytime window (10:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m.) affecting Class A residential property may be cited under YMC 6.04 (misdemeanor) or as a WAC 173-60 violation referred to the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency / Department of Ecology. Daytime construction noise can still be cited under YMC 6.04 if it constitutes a public disturbance noise. The Office of Code Administration may revoke building permits or impose stop-work orders for repeat violations. Apply for an after-hours noise permit under YMC 6.04.180 through the Codes office at 509-576-6657.

Yakima is more permissive than most cities when it comes to construction hours. That said, there are still limits.

Outdoor Music

Outdoor music at Yakima venues - downtown Yakima Avenue, Millennium Plaza, State Fair Park (home of the Yakima Valley SunDome and Central Washington State Fair), and city parks - is regulated by YMC Chapter 6.04 (public disturbance noise) layered with the City of Yakima Special Event Permit Guidelines, which cap permitted-event sound at 95 dB at the property line sustained over 10 minutes and limit outdoor music to 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (with City Manager exceptions).

Key details: Code Authority: YMC 6.04 + YMC Ch. 9.70 Special Events + Special Event Permit Guidelines. Permitted Event Cap: 95 dB at property line sustained 10 minutes. Permitted Event Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (exceptions via City Manager). Permit Authority: City of Yakima Planning Division / Codes (Special Event Permit). Major Recurring Events: Central Washington State Fair, Downtown Summer Nights, Hot Shots Concert Series, Fresh Hop Ale Festival, Yakima Folklife Festival.

Permit-less outdoor music that unreasonably disturbs peace, comfort and repose is a YMC Chapter 6.04 misdemeanor. Permit-condition violations (sound exceeding 95 dB at property line sustained 10 minutes, or operating outside the 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. window without City Manager approval) trigger Special Event Permit revocation, denial of future permits, and on-scene Police shutdown. Sound exceeding WAC 173-60-040 caps may be referred to the Department of Ecology / YRCAA. Report to SunComm 509-575-6200.

Barking Dogs

Yakima specifically codifies barking-dog enforcement in YMC 6.20.280: owners of any dog or dogs that bark, growl, yelp, howl or whine loud enough to be heard by neighbors for 15 minutes or more may receive an infraction punishable by a $250 fine. The standard requires declarations of probable cause from two separate households, or a recording of the behavior for the specified period. An affirmative defense applies if the noise was a response to intruders, trespassers, or persons entering near the owner's premises.

Key details: Code Authority: YMC 6.20.280 (Animal Control) - barking dog infraction. Duration Threshold: 15 minutes or more, audible by neighbors. Fine: $250 infraction. Evidence Required: Two separate-household declarations of probable cause OR audio/video recording. Affirmative Defense: Response to intruders, trespassers, or persons entering near the premises.

Violation of YMC 6.20.280 is an infraction punishable by a $250 fine, provided that either two separate-household declarations of probable cause or a recording of the 15-minute-plus barking are submitted with the report. YMC Chapter 6.04 public-disturbance-noise citations are also available as a misdemeanor alternative. The affirmative defense covers responses to intruders, trespassers, or persons entering onto or near the owner's premises. Sheltering / adoption / dangerous-dog determinations are handled by the Yakima Humane Society under contract. Report to SunComm 509-575-6200; pattern complaints to Yakima Animal Control 509-575-6148.

Leaf Blower Rules

Yakima does not publish a leaf-blower-specific ordinance. Use of gas-powered and electric leaf blowers is governed by the general YMC 6.04 public-disturbance-noise reasonableness standard and, by reference, by WAC 173-60-040 Class A (residential) caps of 55 dBA day / 45 dBA night at the receiving property line. Washington State has not preempted local leaf-blower regulation, and Yakima has not adopted a gas-blower ban, registration program, or day-of-week / time-of-day restriction beyond the general standard.

Key details: Leaf Blower-Specific Code: None. Gas Blower Ban: None. Codified Time Window: None - general YMC 6.04 + WAC 173-60 apply. Receiving-Property Cap: 55 dBA day / 45 dBA night Class A (WAC 173-60-040). State Preemption: None - WA has not preempted local leaf-blower rules.

No leaf-blower-specific penalty. Excessive use is treated as a YMC 6.04 public-disturbance-noise violation (misdemeanor) where it unreasonably disturbs neighbors, or as a WAC 173-60-040 receiving-property violation (44 dBA / 55 dBA caps with 10 dBA night reduction). HOA covenant violations are civil and enforced by the association. Report to Yakima Police non-emergency dispatch via SunComm at 509-575-6200; pattern complaints to Code Administration at 509-576-6657.

The rules around leaf blower rules in Yakima lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Industrial Noise

Industrial noise in Yakima is regulated through YMC Chapter 6.04 (public disturbance noise) layered with the WAC 173-60-040 Class C (industrial) source-to-receiving-class dBA matrix: industrial sources are capped at 70 dBA when received at another Class C parcel, 65 dBA at a Class B (commercial) parcel, and 60 dBA at a Class A (residential) parcel, with a 10 dBA reduction at residential receiving property between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Agricultural operations (frost fans, harvest equipment) receive an effective exemption through the WAC 173-60-050 framework.

Key details: Code Authority: YMC 6.04 + WAC 173-60-040 (Class C source matrix) + YMC Title 15 zoning buffers. Industrial-to-Residential Cap: 60 dBA day / 50 dBA night at Class A receiving property. Industrial-to-Commercial Cap: 65 dBA at Class B receiving property. Industrial-to-Industrial Cap: 70 dBA at Class C receiving property. Legacy Exemption: WAC 173-60-050 - industrial facilities operating 15+ hrs/day for 3 consecutive years.

Industrial sound exceeding WAC 173-60-040 receiving-property caps (60 / 65 / 70 dBA depending on receiving class, with 10 dBA night reduction at Class A) is a Department of Ecology / Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency enforcement matter. Industrial noise that unreasonably disturbs peace, comfort and repose is also a YMC Chapter 6.04 misdemeanor. YMC Title 15 zoning violations (buffer-yard removal, conditional-use breach) are zoning enforcement handled by Code Administration. Apply for a YMC 6.04.180 regulatory permit through 509-576-6657 for operations that would otherwise violate the standard.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Yakima gives residents more room on noise ordinances. 3 of the 9 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

These rules come from Yakima's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.