Showing ordinances that apply to Reading, MA
Reading is an unincorporated community (population 25,518) in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Because Reading is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal code. Instead, Middlesex County ordinances apply directly to properties here. The generator noise rules below are the ones that govern your area.
Generators in Middlesex County must meet 310 CMR 7.10 and local noise caps. Emergency standby generators are exempt during outages but routine testing is limited to weekday daytime hours.
Portable and standby generators across Middlesex County are subject to 310 CMR 7.10 noise rules plus local ordinances. Standby generators at hospitals (Mount Auburn in Cambridge, Newton-Wellesley, Lowell General) and commercial buildings require weekly or monthly test cycles under NFPA 110; these tests must occur 8am-5pm weekdays in most Middlesex communities, and cannot exceed 30 minutes per test. True emergency operation during a utility outage is exempt from noise caps. Portable gas generators for residential use during storms are permitted but must not exceed 65 dBA at the property line during non-emergency operation. Cambridge, Newton, and Lexington require generator installations at residences to include acoustic enclosures if units face neighbors. Construction sites using portable diesel generators must comply with construction hours, typically 7am-6pm weekdays and 8am-5pm Saturdays, closed Sundays.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how Reading's generator noise rules stack up against other locations.
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