Royal Oak Township, MI Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)

Two provisions of § 32-619 reach HVAC equipment. The first, § 32-619(a)(3), covers nuisance-producing accessory uses: animal enclosures, dog runs, central air conditioning units, heat pumps and other mechanical equipment that can produce noise, odors or other nuisances cannot be located immediately adjacent to an abutting property owner's living or sleeping area where windows or doors would be exposed to the nuisance. The standard is placement, not a measured sound level: § 32-619 prints no decibel figure. The second, § 32-619(d)(3), says exterior air conditioning and HVAC units are placed in a rear yard and cannot be visible from any street right-of-way or an adjacent residential structure.

That sentence sits in subsection (d), Accessory structures, whose opening paragraph puts such structures in the rear yard under the height, setback and lot coverage rules for detached accessory buildings unless the chapter permits otherwise. Section 32-619(a)(5) adds that accessory buildings, structures and uses cannot be located within a dedicated easement or street right-of-way, except as the essential services regulations allow, and § 32-619(a)(8) subjects accessory structures to all other codes on construction, installation and operation. Under § 32-231, a fee set by the Township Board accompanies any request for a building or zoning permit.

On a corner lot, § 32-599 footnote (e) keeps a front yard setback along each street frontage, which narrows the rear yard options for equipment.