Unlike many rural counties, Butte County has a codified Noise Control Ordinance. Section 41A-7 caps noise at sensitive receptors at 50 dBA Leq daytime and 40 nighttime in non-urban areas (55/45 in urban areas). These limits apply to a data center's chillers, fans, and backup generators.
Butte County enforces a codified Noise Control Ordinance (Municipal Code Chapter 41A), not merely General Plan policy. Section 41A-7 sets exterior standards at noise-sensitive receptors: in non-urban areas 50 dBA Leq daytime, 45 evening, and 40 nighttime; in urban areas 55, 50, and 45 dBA. Maximum instantaneous (Lmax) limits run higher. The General Plan 2030 Health and Safety Element applies these same standards to stationary, non-transportation sources such as a data center's cooling and generator equipment, and Policy HS-P1.8 specifically requires generator noise near homes to be regulated. Policy HS-P1.6 requires an applicant-funded acoustical study for noise-producing projects near sensitive uses. Nighttime runs 10 PM to 7 AM.
A data center whose cooling or generator noise exceeds the Section 41A-7 limits at a neighboring receptor violates the Noise Control Ordinance. The county can deny or condition permits, require enclosures, barriers, or setbacks, and pursue abatement until it conforms.
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