Hawthorne, CA Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)

Hawthorne Municipal Code § 9.34.010 explains that the city's objective noise standard "restricts noise from machines, animals, or devices (or any combination thereof) from producing noise that exceeds the specified, measurable noise limits," and specifically states that "such sources might include, for example, noisy HVAC or pool equipment." Unlike the subjective standard in Chapter 9.33 (used for one-time party or disturbance complaints), Chapter 9.34 targets established, ongoing equipment noise using measurable limits so code enforcement officers can document a violation with a sound meter. HVAC and pool equipment noise is measured against the Table N-1 exterior standards in § 9.34.030: for a receiving residential property, up to 60 dBA Leq (65 dBA on a 5-minute measurement) between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., dropping to 50 dBA Leq (55 dBA 5-minute) between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

If the source property differs in land-use type from the receiving property, the two standards are averaged. Measurements are taken per § 9.34.050 using a Type 1 or Type 2 ANSI-compliant sound level meter at the complainant's property line, roughly five feet above ground and ten feet from reflective surfaces. Enforcement and penalties for exceeding these limits run through § 9.34.100.