Montebello, CA Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 9.08.050(M)
- Muffler required
- Yes, on blowers/generators/engines
- Enforcing agency
- Montebello Police Department
- Penalty class
- Misdemeanor or infraction
- Repeat-call fee window
- 24 hours, same location
- Nuisance abatement path
- Chapter 8.16
Summary
In the City of Montebello, Municipal Code Section 9.08.050(M) bans running any generator, power fan or internal-combustion blower unless the noise is muffled, requiring a muffler device sufficient to deaden the sound. The rule sits inside the city's loud-and-raucous-noise chapter and is enforced by the Montebello Police Department as a misdemeanor or infraction.
The following acts, among others, are declared to be loud or raucous noises but the enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive: ... M.Blowers. The operation of any noise-creating blower, power fan or internal combustion engine in which the power is produced by the explosion of a fuel and air mixture within the cylinder(s) shall be prohibited unless the noise from such blower or fan is muffled and such engine is equipped with a muffler device sufficient to deaden such noise.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 9.08 of the Montebello Municipal Code declares loud or raucous noise a public nuisance under Section 9.08.010 and lists thirteen specific prohibited noise sources, lettered A through M, in Section 9.08.050. Subsection M targets generators and blowers directly: any noise-creating blower, power fan, or internal-combustion engine is prohibited from operating unless its noise is muffled and the engine carries a muffler device sufficient to deaden the sound. There is no fixed decibel number or curfew window written into subsection M itself; the standard is whether the unit is muffled, unlike the radio/stereo rule in subsection B, which sets an 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. audibility test.
Section 9.08.040 exempts noise from emergency action, such as a generator running during a power outage, except that any bell or alarm on a structure that runs longer than 30 minutes loses the exemption. Enforcement runs through Section 9.08.060: any violation of Title 9's noise provisions is a misdemeanor or infraction, punished at the discretion of the prosecuting authority, and each separate noise incident is a separate offense. Repeated noise-disturbance calls to the same address within a 24-hour period trigger a service-fee charge covering personnel and equipment costs, set by city council resolution.
Chronic or repetitive violations are separately declared a public nuisance, abatable under Chapter 8.16 of the code or by a court-issued restraining order or injunction.
Violations & Fines
A first violation is a misdemeanor or infraction punished at the discretion of the prosecuting authority under Section 9.08.060(A). Each separate noisy episode counts as its own offense, and repeat calls to the same location within 24 hours draw a service-fee charge for police personnel and equipment. Chronic violations can be abated as a public nuisance under Chapter 8.16, including by court injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a muffler on my generator in Montebello?
What happens if neighbors keep calling police about my generator?
Is a generator running during a power outage exempt from the noise rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montebello
California rules heatmap·Compare Montebello to another location·View the California noise from specific sources overview
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