Novi, MI Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)

Section 22-97 targets residential HVAC noise directly by regulating where an outside condenser or compressor can sit on one- and two-family dwellings. Subsection (a)(1) requires the unit to be placed in the rear of the rearmost portion of the house and no less than five feet in from the extreme side of the main structure; an open patio does not count as part of the structure for this measurement, so a unit tucked under a patio roof still has to meet the five-foot side setback and rear-placement rule.

Subsection (a)(2) adds a nuisance-style standard on top of the placement rule: even a properly placed unit is unlawful if it operates in a way that causes "actual discomfort to others in the neighborhood," a broader test than a fixed decibel number. The section states its own consequence directly: a violation is declared a nuisance, which typically opens the door to abatement remedies beyond a simple fine. Subsection (b) gives the building official discretion to grant a variance from the placement rule if the property owner shows the equipment, once installed, will not cause "noise buffeting against the adjacent building," so a homeowner with an unusual lot layout can seek relief through that office rather than through the noise ordinance's separate hardship-permit process in § 22-96(e).