Monterey County, CA Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Monterey County Code § 14.12.050(A)(22)
- Restriction type
- Posted no-generator zones/hours, not a ban
- Set by
- Parks Director, park by park
- Camping quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Enforcement
- Rangers, Sheriff's Office administrative citation
Summary
County parks in Monterey County restrict generator use rather than banning it outright: Monterey County Code § 14.12.050(A)(22) makes it unlawful to run a generator in an area the Parks Director has designated as a no-generator zone, or during posted no-generator hours. Campers and vendors must check posted signage at each park before firing one up.
22.Operate or cause to operate any generator in an area designated by the Director as a no generator area or during posted no generator hours.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
050(A)(22)). I. S separately bars operating any machine, mechanism, device or contrivance that produces sound exceeding fifty decibels, measured fifty feet away on an A-weighted meter, without a Director-issued noise permit, with an exception carved out for the Laguna Seca shooting range and San Antonio Lake boating. G means land the Board of Supervisors owns, operates or manages, this generator restriction applies at County-run parks such as Toro Park, Laguna Seca Recreation Area and the Lake San Antonio and Lake Nacimiento recreation areas, not at parks run by incorporated cities such as Monterey, Salinas or Carmel-by-the-Sea. 130 and may cite or expel violators.
Violations & Fines
Running a generator in a posted no-generator area or during posted no-generator hours inside a County park violates Monterey County Code § 14.12.050(A)(22). Rangers or Sheriff's Office safety employees can issue an administrative citation under Chapters 1.20 and 1.22 (§ 14.12.130.H) and can expel the operator from the park; a returning violator faces a bar from that park for up to six months under § 14.12.130.F.1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are generators banned in Monterey County parks?
Who decides where generators are restricted in a county park?
What other noise rules apply alongside the generator restriction?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monterey County
California rules heatmap·Compare Monterey County to another location·View the California noise from specific sources overview
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