Bowling Green, KY Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)

Sec. 15-7.02(n) of the Bowling Green Code of Ordinances specifically folds Mobile Food Unit and Pushcart operators into Subchapter 9-3 (Noise) of the City Code, then adds a vending-specific rule on top: every generator used to power a Mobile Food Unit must be rated at or below 80 decibels. The subsection recommends, without mandating, sound-absorbing devices to contain or deflect generator noise, and separately prohibits amplified music from any Mobile Food Unit or Pushcart operation altogether, regardless of decibel level. The rule sits inside the broader Sec.

15-7.02 vending-conduct standards, which also require vendors to supply their own electrical power rather than connect to City outlets, meaning most street food operations run on a generator subject to the 80-decibel ceiling. City inspectors, fire inspectors and police officers are authorized to inspect an operating Mobile Food Unit without notice during business hours, which includes checking generator noise for compliance. Because the rule is written directly into the mobile-vending subchapter rather than the general noise chapter, it applies specifically to food trucks and food trailers operating on Bowling Green streets, parking lots or City-approved sites, on top of whatever citywide noise limits Subchapter 9-3 otherwise sets for the surrounding area.