Forsyth County, GA Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Testing hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. only
- Non-testing use
- Emergency backup only
- Daytime limit
- 60 dBA at residential boundary
- Nighttime limit
- 55 dBA, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Applies to
- Data centers only, since 3/6/25
Summary
Backup generators at Forsyth County data centers can only run for emergency power, with testing restricted to 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. under Unified Development Code Section 16-4.10. Overall facility sound, generators included, is capped at 60 dBA at any time and drops to 55 dBA overnight between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. at the boundary of neighboring residential property.
(e)With the exception of testing activities, generator use is limited to emergency backup use only.(f)Generator testing is limited to between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.(g)When measured at the boundary of any residentially zoned property, the sound level of the proposed data center shall not exceed sixty (60) dBA at any time and shall not exceed fifty-five (55) dBA during the hours of 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 43).
Full Breakdown
10(e) through (g) of the Unified Development Code targets the loudest recurring noise source at a data center: its backup generators. Outside of scheduled testing, generator use is restricted to emergency backup power only, meaning the equipment cannot run to supplement grid power or shave peak demand. , so neighboring residential property is not exposed to generator noise before or after the work day or overnight. m. Because the dBA limit is measured for the site as a whole rather than isolated to the generator, a facility running compliant daytime generator tests can still be cited if its combined mechanical and generator noise pushes past the applicable threshold at the residential line.
10 in response to large-scale data center development along the county's growth corridors, and it does not extend to backup generators at other commercial or industrial uses, which fall instead under the county's general noise ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Running generators outside the 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. testing window for non-emergency purposes, or exceeding 60 dBA at any time (55 dBA at night) measured at a residential property line, is a code violation the Department of Planning and Community Development can cite during inspection or in response to a neighbor complaint, and can hold up permit sign-off on future site modifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Forsyth County data center run its generators at night?
What decibel level triggers a violation?
Does this generator rule apply to home backup generators too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Forsyth County
Compare Forsyth County to another location·View the Georgia noise from specific sources overview
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