Grand Prairie, TX Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)

Section 13-515(d) of the gas drilling and production article sets Grand Prairie's only named "low-frequency" noise standard in the code. It caps outdoor low-frequency noise at 65 dB in each of three octave bands, 16, 32 and 64 hertz, generated by drilling, redrilling or operating well equipment. The same subsection layers on two more tests: an ambient-noise ceiling (drilling and redrilling may not raise the exterior noise level at the nearest protected-use receptor's property line, or 100 feet from the structure, whichever is closer, by more than 5 dB in daytime or 3 dB at night; fracing tops out at a 10 dB increase; flowback is held to the same 5/3 dB day/night limits), and a pure-tone test using one-third octave band analysis, barring tones that exceed the average of two adjacent bands by 5 dB at 500 Hz and above, 8 dB between 160 and 400 Hz, or 15 dB at or below 125 Hz.

Operators must first establish a predrilling ambient noise level through a 72-hour study (including one full weekend day) approved in advance by the environmental services director, and no reading may exceed the applicable standard by more than 20 dB(A) at any moment, measured continuously over at least 15 minutes with A-weighting reported as Leq. Every gas well permit application must include a noise abatement study by a city-approved consultant describing the facility, the ambient survey, the anticipated noise sources through drilling, fracturing, flowback and operation, and any abatement plan, with installation completed before drilling starts.

Wells within 1,000 feet of a protected use face extra duties: continuous, wirelessly-transmitted noise and audio monitoring (paid for by the operator) with weekly reports to the inspector, plus noise reduction blankets at least 30 feet high rated STC 30 or better on pad-site boundaries facing protected uses, and hospital-grade mufflers on any internal combustion engine or compressor. All noise readings must follow the methods in chapter 13, article XIII, Noise Restrictions.