Olympia, WA Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)

The City of Olympia, in Thurston County, Washington, regulates bar and nightclub noise at the zoning stage through the Unified Development Code. Olympia Municipal Code § 18.06.060(P), part of the commercial districts' use standards, covers Nightclubs and Taverns in the Commercial Services - High Density (CS-H) District. Night clubs, taverns and lounges there are a conditional use, so the venue needs approval before it opens and must meet every condition the code prints.

The first condition is a setback: no building can sit closer than sixty (60) feet from a property line abutting a residential use. The second is noise insulation: the building must be of sound-reducing construction that will assure compliance with the sound emission requirements of Section 18.40.080, Property Protection Standards. The third is flat: there shall be no outside loudspeakers, so patio and entrance speakers are off the table in this district.

Section 18.40.080 supplies the measuring stick. Under it the maximum allowable noise levels, measured at the property line of noise impacted uses or activities, are those in Washington Administrative Code chapter 173-60, which the city incorporates by reference. The same section assigns Environmental Designations for Noise Abatement: living areas such as single-family and multifamily are class A, all other commercial areas are class B, and light industrial and industrial areas are class C. Noise levels of any sound source cannot exceed the values shown in Table N. The operator or proprietor carries the burden of providing reasonable evidence and technical data to show compliance whenever the enforcing officer asks for it.

Social organizations in the CS-H district get no shortcut: if alcohol is served, the use is subject to all requirements governing nightclubs, taverns and lounges, with a pointer to § 18.06.060(P).

Separately, the city's disorderly conduct section, OMC 9.16.020(D)(4), names frequent, repetitive or continuous sounds that emanate from any building, structure, apartment or condominium and unreasonably interfere with the peace, comfort and repose of owners or possessors of real property, including sounds from audio sound systems, band sessions and social gatherings. That rule applies to any venue, in any district.