Apex, NC Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)

Apex's noise chapter singles out stationary engines by name: discharging engine exhaust into the open air without a muffler is 'plainly audible and unreasonably loud' by definition under Town Code § 14-33(a)(6), regardless of any decibel reading, a home standby generator, a portable job-site generator, or a stationary steam engine all qualify. A muffler or other device that effectively prevents loud or explosive noise satisfies the rule; no permit is required. The provision sits inside the general noise-prohibition chapter (§§ 14-29 through 14-37), applies within the town's corporate limits, and is enforced as a misdemeanor under G.S. 14-4 with additional civil penalties available under § 14-37.