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Albuquerque, NM Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Community garden generators
banned 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
Food truck court generators
banned outright
Governing chapter
IDO § 14-16-4-3(D)
Enforcer
Zoning Enforcement Officer (ZEO)
Civil penalty
$500 per uncured violation
Cure notice
at least 15 days

Summary

Albuquerque's Integrated Development Ordinance sets no citywide generator curfew; instead it regulates two specific commercial land uses. A Community Garden may only run power equipment or generators between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., and a Mobile Food Truck Court cannot use generators at all under the zoning code the Planning Department enforces.

Operation of power equipment or generators shall not occur between the hours of 10:00 P.M. and 7:00 A.M. ... The use of generators is prohibited.

Full Breakdown

The Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO), Albuquerque's zoning code, folds generator-noise limits into use-specific standards for two commercial land uses rather than a citywide noise chapter. m. Under IDO § 14-16-4-3(D)(11), a Mobile Food Truck Court, defined to include any food preparation or sales activity by a mobile food truck, is barred from using generators at all, on top of separate paving, trash-receptacle, and hand-washing requirements for that use. Both standards sit inside Part 14-16-4-3, the IDO's Use-specific Standards chapter, and apply on top of, not instead of, the City's general noise ordinance in Part 9-9-4 of the Revised Ordinances of Albuquerque, which mobile food truck operators must also follow under § 14-16-4-3(D)(11)(c).

Compliance is checked when a use applies for zoning clearance or business registration, and continued operation is conditioned on staying within these hours and equipment limits. The Planning Department's Zoning Enforcement Officer (ZEO) has authority to investigate complaints against either use type and can act under the IDO's general enforcement powers in § 14-16-6-9 if a garden operator runs equipment overnight or a food truck court plugs in a generator.

Violations & Fines

A violation of either standard is enforced the same way as any other IDO violation: the ZEO issues a written Notice of Violation and gives the owner or operator at least 15 days to cure it under § 14-16-6-9(C)(2)(a). If the use is not brought into compliance, the ZEO may issue a Notice of Administrative Civil Enforcement carrying a $500 civil penalty for each uncured violation, and the City can pursue a stop-work order or revoke the use's permit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a community garden in Albuquerque run a generator at night?
No. IDO § 14-16-4-3(D)(1)(d) bars operating power equipment or generators between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on any Community Garden use, regardless of acreage or zone district. The garden's accessory structures, like hoop houses or sheds, face separate height and setback limits under the same subsection.
Are generators allowed at Albuquerque mobile food truck courts?
No. IDO § 14-16-4-3(D)(11)(g) prohibits generator use outright at any Mobile Food Truck Court, with no daytime exception. Operators still need a paved surface, trash receptacles, and hand-wash stations under the same use standard, and must separately follow the City's general noise ordinance.
Who enforces these generator limits in Albuquerque?
The Planning Department's Zoning Enforcement Officer administers IDO use-specific standards, including these two provisions, under § 14-16-6-9. A complaint can trigger a written notice, at least 15 days to cure, and a $500 civil penalty for each violation left uncured after that period.

Sources & Official References

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