Stanislaus County, CA Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 18.04.250, Stanislaus County Code
- Quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Noise limit
- No more than 50 decibels heard outside campsite
- Covers
- Generators, machinery, electronics, amplified sound
- Scope
- County parks and campgrounds, not private property
- Penalty
- Infraction under § 18.06.190
Summary
In Stanislaus County parks and campgrounds, Section 18.04.250 sets quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., during which amplified sound, equipment, electronics and machinery, including generators, that can be heard outside a campsite may not exceed fifty decibels. The rule targets overnight camping areas rather than private residential property countywide.
"Quiet hours" are the hours between ten p.m. until six a.m. the following day when amplified sound, equipment, electronics, machinery including generators, or noise that can be heard outside the campsite, of no more than fifty decibels, are prohibited.
Full Breakdown
the following day, during which amplified sound, equipment, electronics, or machinery, expressly including generators, that can be heard outside the campsite, at a level of more than fifty decibels, is prohibited. 04 of Title 18, Parks and Recreation, so it governs conduct within county-owned or operated recreation areas and campgrounds rather than private residential property generally; there is no county-wide residential generator-noise ordinance in this part of the code. 005). that another campsite can hear above fifty decibels is in violation regardless of intent; the fifty-decibel and time-of-night thresholds are the operative test, not a blanket ban on generators.
190 makes violation of park rules and regulations an infraction 'unless otherwise stated in local, state, or federal law,' a quiet-hours violation defaults to an infraction rather than a misdemeanor unless another provision elsewhere in the title says otherwise.
Violations & Fines
Section 18.06.190 makes violation of Stanislaus County park rules and regulations, including the quiet-hours generator limit in Section 18.04.250, an infraction, citing Sections 1.36.010 and 1.36.020, unless another law states a different penalty. Park staff or an authorized agent can also order a person who violates a recreation-area rule to leave the area for up to twelve months, and failing to obey that order is itself a misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a generator overnight at a Stanislaus County campground?
Does the county's generator quiet-hours rule apply to my house, not just campgrounds?
What's the penalty for violating quiet hours at a county park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stanislaus County
California rules heatmap·Compare Stanislaus County to another location·View the California noise from specific sources overview
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