Bradenton, FL Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)

The exemption for air conditioners sits in Section 38-157 of the City of Bradenton Sound Control Ordinance, which lists what Chapter 38's sound article does not apply to. Item (4) covers air conditioners, but with two conditions tied to the equipment itself. The unit must be functioning in accord with the manufacturer's specifications, and every manufacturer's muffler and piece of sound-reducing equipment must be in use and in proper operating condition. A unit that is running outside its specifications, or with a removed or broken muffler or sound-reducing part, is not within the exemption.

Outside the exemption, the standard rules apply. Section 38-155(b) limits continuous sound measured at the real property line: 65 dBA/dBC from 10:00 p.m. to 7 a.m. in areas zoned R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, T-3, or residential PDPs, and 75 dBA/dBC at other times there. Measurement is taken with a sound level meter on the "A" and "C" weighting scale, approximately five feet above ground, averaged over two minutes. In a multi-dwelling-unit building or a multitenant building, the real property line includes the boundaries of the unit, so a rooftop or wall unit is measured against the neighboring unit's boundary.

Section 38-154(b) also lists the standards for judging whether a sound annoys or disturbs a reasonable person, including the level and intensity of the sound, the level of the background sound, the proximity of the sound to residential sleeping facilities, the zoning of the area, the time of day or night, and the duration of the sound. The last sentence of Section 38-157 adds that exempted uses must comply with all other applicable ordinances of the city and laws of the state.