Riverside County, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Noise Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential Cap
- 55 dBA day / 45 dBA night
- Day Hours
- 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Measured At
- Receiving property line
- HVAC Exemption
- Sec. 9.52.020(L)
- First-Offense Fine
- $500 minimum
Summary
The county's noise ordinance (Ord. 847, ch. 9.52) caps exterior sound at any occupied property. A data center abutting homes cannot push sound past 55 dBA daytime or 45 dBA at night, measured at the residential property line. Notably, the ordinance exempts heating and air conditioning equipment.
No person shall create any sound, or allow the creation of any sound, on any property that causes the exterior sound level on any other occupied property to exceed the sound level standards set forth in Table 1.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 84 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 9.52 (Ordinance No. 847, adopted 2006) limits the maximum sound level, measured Lmax, that one property may cause at another occupied property. The cap is set by the receiving property's General Plan designation: 55 dBA day / 45 dBA night for residential, and 75/55 for light industrial, with daytime running 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. So a data center next to homes must hold cooling and generator noise below 55 dBA at the residential line by day and 45 dBA at night. One real gap: Section 9.52.020(L) exempts "heating and air conditioning equipment," so chiller and generator noise is often scrutinized through CEQA acoustic review at project approval. The Sheriff and Code Enforcement enforce it.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the limits at a neighboring property is an infraction: minimum $500 for a first offense, $750 for a second within 180 days. A third becomes a misdemeanor, up to $1,000 or six months in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can a Riverside County data center be near homes?
Does the noise ordinance fully cover data center cooling equipment?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside County
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside County to another location·View the California data centers & crypto mining overview
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