Aircraft Noise: Santa Rosa vs Sonoma

Does Sonoma County limit aircraft noise?

Yes, at the County-owned Sonoma County Airport. Code section 3-41 caps takeoff noise at 83.2 dBA (Lmax) during the day (6 a.m.–10 p.m.) and 72 dBA (Lmax) at night (10 p.m.–6 a.m.), enforced by the Director of Aviation with fines and possible operating bans.

What about planes flying over my house?

General aircraft overflight noise is mostly regulated by the FAA, not the County. The County's noise ordinance applies to operations at the Sonoma County Airport itself; emergency, government, law-enforcement and medical flights are exempt under section 3-45.

Can I file a noise complaint with the City of Sonoma about low-flying aircraft or hot-air balloons?

The city cannot enforce aircraft noise limits because federal law (49 U.S.C. § 40103 and the Airport Noise and Capacity Act) preempts local regulation of aircraft in flight. File complaints through the FAA Noise Portal (noisecomplaint.faa.gov) or, for balloon operators, contact the FAA Flight Standards District Office.

Does the FAA preempt all aircraft noise rules?

Not entirely. Under City of Burbank v. Lockheed, 411 U.S. 624 (1973), airport proprietors (not municipalities generally) may impose limited, reasonable, non-discriminatory noise restrictions as owners of the airport. Since the City of Sonoma does not own an airport, it has no proprietor authority to impose aircraft noise limits.