Burbank, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Noise Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Code
- Muni Code Sec. 9-3-208
- Rule
- Ambient plus 5 dBA max
- Home base
- 55 day / 45 night dBA
- Industrial base
- 70 dBA anytime
- Commercial base
- 65 dBA anytime
Summary
Burbank sets noise by an ambient-plus-five rule. Municipal Code Section 9-3-208 bars machinery, fans, and air conditioning from raising the ambient level more than 5 dBA above base levels: 45 dBA residential night, 55 residential day, 65 commercial, 70 industrial. A data center's cooling must comply.
No person shall operate any machinery, equipment, pump, fan, air conditioning apparatus, or similar mechanical device in such a manner as to cause the ambient noise level to be exceeded by more than five (5) decibels.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-4,038, passed February 24, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Burbank's noise ordinance, Municipal Code Title 9, Chapter 3, controls mechanical noise through Section 9-3-208. It bars operating any machinery, pump, fan, air conditioning apparatus, or similar device so as to raise the ambient noise level more than 5 dBA. Section 9-3-208.B fixes ambient base levels by zone: residential 55 dBA daytime (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and 45 dBA nighttime (10 p.m. to 7 a.m.); commercial 65 dBA anytime; all other zones, including industrial M-1 and M-2, 70 dBA anytime. A data center's continuous chillers, cooling towers, and backup generators are measured against these limits, so the effective cap is 5 dBA above base. Zoning Section 10-1-1707 ties industrial noise to this same chapter.
Violations & Fines
Noise that raises the ambient level more than 5 dBA over the Section 9-3-208 base limits is a Municipal Code violation enforced by the City, and it can breach the noise conditions on a data center's Conditional Use Permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can a data center be in Burbank?
What noise rule protects homes near a Burbank data center?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Burbank
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