Doña Ana County, NM Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)

Doña Ana County regulates fixed mechanical noise, including HVAC and air-conditioning equipment, under § 261-21(A) of the 2012 Noise Control Ordinance. on weekends and holidays, in a manner that creates noise exceeding the Table 1 limits set in § 261-11: 50 dB(A) on residential or noise-sensitive property, 60 dB(A) on office or commercial property, and 70 dB(A) on industrial property, all measured on the property receiving the sound. The section carves out 'emergency work,' defined in § 261-9 as work needed to restore property to a safe condition after a public calamity, restore public utilities, or protect persons or property from imminent danger; an HVAC contractor responding to a genuine emergency repair is not bound by the nighttime cap.

Because the rule targets permanently installed equipment rather than portable devices, a rooftop or ground-mounted condenser unit, a whole-house fan, or built-in industrial machinery all fall within its reach, while portable power equipment such as generators or leaf blowers is instead governed by § 261-21(B). The Sheriff's Department administers the article under § 261-23 and can promulgate testing procedures to confirm a decibel reading against the table.