Wichita, KS Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)

Sec. 010(b)(3) singles out unmuffled equipment exhaust as an unlawful noise nuisance separate from the code's general "annoy, distress or disturb" standard in subsection (a). Any stationary steam engine, internal combustion engine (the category a portable or standby generator falls into), noise-creating blower, power fan or compressed-air device must discharge through a muffler or comparable device that effectively prevents loud or explosive noise; running one open-exhaust is a violation regardless of how briefly it operates. Owners can still raise the objective decibel table at Sec.

030 as a defense: under Sec. 010(c), it is a defense that measured noise did not exceed the zone limit, but the defendant must submit calibrated decibel readings to the City Attorney's Office at least seven days before trial or the defense is waived. Measurements are taken under Sec. 020 at least 25 feet from the source, using an ANSI-standard A-weighted sound level meter, in wind under 5 mph (25 mph with a windscreen), accounting for ambient background noise. Enforcement under Sec. 080 is not limited to police: deputies of the Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department and authorized Public Works and Utilities personnel can also cite violators.

The narrow exemptions in Sec. 040 (lawn maintenance, personal vehicle repair, home repair) do not cover generator or compressor exhaust, so a homeowner running a generator during an outage gets no automatic pass, though the noise still has to actually create a nuisance or exceed the zone dB(A) limit to be provable in court.