San Antonio, TX Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)

Chapter 21's noise nuisance rules generally cap decibel levels by zoning district: 63 dBA on residential-zoned property, 70 dBA on business-zoned property, and 72 dBA on industrial-zoned property, all measured from a neighboring parcel under separate ownership per Sec. 21-52(9) through (11). Section 21-55(6) carves out a specific exception for air-conditioning units, heat pumps, and swimming pool machinery: that equipment is lawful so long as it does not exceed 63 dBA at a residential property or 70 dBA at a non-residential property, measured either 15 feet from the unit or at the nearest exterior wall of a neighboring building under separate ownership, whichever distance is shorter.

A unit that runs louder than those thresholds loses the exception and becomes a 'noise nuisance' actionable under Sec. 21-52. Measurements must be taken with an ANSI-standard sound level meter under the method in Sec. 21-56, using A-weighting unless another network is specified, with a windscreen on the microphone and calibration performed before each sampling. The director or a duly authorized noise abatement officer can issue an administrative stop order under Sec. 21-57(a) ordering an immediate halt to noise exceeding the Table 1 correction levels, and may apply for an injunction within five days if the stop order is ignored.

A property or resident cited on three separate days within a 12-month period can be declared a 'habitual noise nuisance source' after an administrative hearing before a municipal court magistrate, exposing the noise-producing equipment itself to seizure on a subsequent violation under Sec. 21-57(f).