10 rules for unincorporated Calaveras County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Calaveras County's Noise Control ordinance (County Code Chapter 9.02) sets stricter limits at night. Section 9.02.030 prohibits sound that exceeds the background level by 10 dBA during the day (7 a.m.-10 p.m.) and by only 5 dBA at night (10 p.m.-7 a.m.) at the receiving property line.
In unincorporated Calaveras County, construction noise is exempt from the noise ordinance only if it stays within permitted hours. Section 9.02.060 limits construction in or adjacent to residential areas to daytime hours between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., unless a discretionary land-use permit sets different conditions.
A persistently barking dog in unincorporated Calaveras County can be a noise disturbance under County Code Chapter 9.02, which the County's General Plan cites as the tool for isolated incidents like a barking dog. Complaints go to the Sheriff, who is the designated Noise Control Officer.
Unincorporated Calaveras County has no leaf-blower-specific ordinance. Leaf blowers are governed by the general Noise Control ordinance (County Code Chapter 9.02): they become a violation only if they create a noise disturbance exceeding background by 10 dBA in the day or 5 dBA at night.
Section 9.02.050 of the Calaveras County Code prohibits radios, stereos, loudspeakers, and similar amplifying devices when they create a noise disturbance for anyone besides the operator. Loudspeakers and PA systems are barred across a residential property line between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
Aircraft noise is exempt from Calaveras County's noise ordinance under Section 9.02.060, which excludes situations within FAA jurisdiction. Airport-area noise is instead managed through the Calaveras County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) and the General Plan.
Industrial and stationary-source noise in unincorporated Calaveras County is controlled by Chapter 9.02 enforcement plus General Plan standards. The General Plan's Table Noise-2 limits stationary-source noise at a noise-sensitive use to 55 dBA Leq daytime and 45 dBA Leq nighttime.
Calaveras County's Noise Control ordinance is primarily relative: Section 9.02.030 caps sound at background plus 10 dBA in the day and plus 5 dBA at night. Pure tones are reduced a further 5 dBA. If background cannot be measured, absolute 'Maximum Permissible Sound Level' limits apply.
Outdoor and amplified music in unincorporated Calaveras County is governed by Section 9.02.050, which prohibits loudspeakers, stereos, and instruments that create a noise disturbance, and bars loudspeaker/PA sound across a residential property line from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. County-approved events are exempt.
Calaveras County's General Plan notes that vehicle noise is addressed through the County Noise Ordinance (Chapter 9.02), which is complaint-driven. On-road vehicle exhaust and muffler noise is primarily controlled by California Vehicle Code provisions enforced by the Sheriff and CHP.
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