Sonoma County caps new stationary-source noise at 50 dBA L50 daytime and 45 dBA L50 at night, measured at the property line of any noise-sensitive use. Data-center cooling and generators would be held to these General Plan Table NE-2 standards through permit and CEQA review.
Sonoma County's General Plan 2020 Noise Element, Policy NE-1c and Table NE-2, sets the noise performance standards applied to new projects during permit and CEQA review. For non-transportation sources, the exterior standard at an adjacent noise-sensitive property line is 50 dBA L50 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 45 dBA L50 from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., with higher short-duration tiers of 55/50 dBA L25, 60/55 dBA L08, and 65/60 dBA L02, plus a 5 dBA penalty for pure-tone noise. A data center's chillers, cooling fans, and generator testing would be conditioned to meet these limits.
Exceeding the Table NE-2 limits at a neighboring property line violates a project's conditions of approval. Permit Sonoma can require added mitigation, issue notices of violation, and pursue enforcement for continued noncompliance.
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