10 rules for unincorporated Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Verified from official government sources
Chester County has no countywide quiet-hours ordinance. Noise is regulated by your borough, city or township under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, so quiet hours vary by municipality. West Chester, for example, bars unreasonable noise, with outdoor tools and construction restricted 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM.
Chester County sets no countywide construction-hours rule; it is governed by your borough or township. West Chester Borough, the county seat, bars construction, demolition and lot-sweeping noise between 9:00 PM and 7:00 AM on weekdays and Saturdays, and at any time on Sundays and legal holidays.
West Chester Borough Code 73-3(B)(2)
No person shall operate or permit the operation of any tools or equipment used on construction operations, drilling or demolition ... between the hours of 9:00 p.m. of one day and 7:00 a.m. of the following day on weekdays and Saturdays or at any time on Sundays or legal holidays.
Chester County has no countywide barking-dog noise ordinance; it is enforced by your borough or township. West Chester Borough bars any animal that howls or barks continuously for 10 minutes, or intermittently for a half hour or more, to the disturbance of any person at any time.
West Chester Borough Code 73-3(B)(5)
No person shall own, possess, harbor or control any animal which howls, barks, meows, squawks or makes other sounds continuously and/or incessantly for a period of 10 minutes or makes such noise intermittently for 1/2 hour or more to the disturbance of any person at any time of the day or night.
Chester County sets no leaf-blower rule and Pennsylvania has no statewide leaf-blower law. Your borough or township controls it. West Chester bars electrically powered lawn and garden tools used outdoors, including blowers, between 9:00 PM and 7:00 AM if they create unreasonable noise.
West Chester Borough Code 73-3(B)(3)
No person shall operate or permit the operation of any electrically powered saw, drill, sander, grinder, lawn or garden tool, snowblower or similar device used outdoors between the hours of 9:00 p.m. of one day and 7:00 a.m. of the following day so as to create unreasonable noise.
Chester County directly regulates amplified sound on its own property: no person may use a loudspeaker, public address system, amplified musical instruments or amplifier on county park property without a permit. Off county land, amplified music is governed by your borough or township noise code.
Chester County Parks Regulations Section 29
No person shall: A. Use a loudspeaker, public address system, amplified musical instruments, or amplifier within or upon Department property without a permit issued by the Department.
Neither Chester County nor Pennsylvania regulates aircraft noise; airspace and aircraft operations are governed exclusively by the Federal Aviation Administration under federal law. Local governments are preempted from setting flight-noise rules. Complaints go to the FAA or the operating airport, such as Brandywine Airport.
Chester County does not zone or set industrial-noise limits. Industrial and commercial noise is controlled by your borough or township through zoning performance standards under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Most municipal codes cap noise crossing a property line into residential districts.
Chester County has no countywide decibel ordinance. Pennsylvania sets vehicle sound limits statewide in 67 Pa. Code Chapter 157: measured at 50 feet, most cars may not exceed 76 dBA at 35 mph or less, motorcycles 82 dBA, and heavy vehicles 86 dBA. General noise decibel limits, if any, are
67 Pa. Code 157.11 (Table 1)
Maximum permissible sound levels measured at 50 feet: vehicles over 6,000 lbs GVWR - 86 dBA at 35 mph or less; motorcycles (excluding motor-driven cycles) - 82 dBA at 35 mph or less; other motor vehicles - 76 dBA at 35 mph or less.
Chester County only regulates outdoor music on its own park property, where a permit is required for amplified sound and no radio or instrument may be played to disturb visitors. Elsewhere, outdoor music is governed by your borough or township noise code, such as West Chester's unreasonable-noise standard.
Chester County Parks Regulations Section 29
No person shall: B. Play or cause to play any musical instrument, radio, CD player, tape recorder, television, etc., in a loud or boisterous manner which tends to disturb or annoy any visitor.
Vehicle noise is set by state law, which applies throughout Chester County. Under 75 Pa.C.S. section 4523, every motor vehicle must have a working muffler with no cutout or bypass, and no one may modify an exhaust to amplify noise above the state limit. Local police enforce it.
75 Pa.C.S. 4523(c)
Every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a muffler or other effective noise suppressing system in good working order and in constant operation and no muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass or similar device.
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