Chino Hills, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Noise Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Code
- Muni Code Sec. 16.48.020
- Home limit
- 60 dBA day / 45 night
- Industrial limit
- 75 day / 70 night
- Tonal noise
- Minus 5 dBA
- Measured at
- Receiving property
Summary
Chino Hills caps exterior noise at the receiving property under Municipal Code Section 16.48.020: 60 dBA day and 45 dBA night at single-family homes, 75 dBA day and 70 dBA night on industrial land. Tonal equipment noise drops each limit five dBA.
It is unlawful for any person at any location within the incorporated area of the City to create any noise, or to allow the creation of any noise, on property owned, leased, occupied, or otherwise controlled by such person, which causes the noise level when measured on any other receiving property, to exceed the following.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 61).
Full Breakdown
Table 16.48-1 sets maximum Leq levels measured on the receiving property, not at the source. Single-family residential is 60 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 45 dBA overnight; multi-family 65/45; commercial and institutional 70/60; manufacturing and industrial 75/70. Each limit drops five dBA for impulsive noise, tonal noise, and speech or music, so a data center's chillers and generators face 40 dBA overnight at the nearest home. The standard applies to a cumulative thirty minutes in any hour, with higher thresholds for shorter durations. Section 16.48.060 also governs mechanical equipment.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the Table 16.48-1 limits is a Development Code violation enforced by Chino Hills Code Enforcement, and breaches the noise conditions attached to a project's Site Plan or Conditional Use Permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can a data center be in Chino Hills?
Do steady cooling fans get a stricter limit in Chino Hills?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino Hills
California rules heatmap·Compare Chino Hills to another location·View the California data centers & crypto mining overview
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