West Hartford, CT Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Infrasonic/ultrasonic limit
- 100 dB beyond noise zone
- Applies
- at any time, any district
- Infrasonic defined as
- generally below 20 Hz
- Enforcing office
- Director of Health (§ 123-20)
- Fine range
- $20-$90 per day/night
Summary
West Hartford caps infrasonic sound, the low-frequency, sub-20-hertz range that produces felt bass, at 100 dB beyond a noise zone's boundary at any time under Town Code § 123-12. The same 100 dB ceiling applies to ultrasonic sound above the audible range, enforced by the Director of Health.
No person shall emit beyond his/her noise zone infrasonic or ultrasonic sound in excess of 100 dB at any time.
Full Breakdown
Section 123-12 of Chapter 123 addresses frequency ranges outside the noise standards' usual audible-spectrum focus. It provides that no person shall emit, beyond his or her noise zone, infrasonic or ultrasonic sound in excess of 100 dB at any time. Infrasonic sound is defined in § 123-6 as sound-pressure variations with frequencies generally below 20 hertz, subaudible, which covers the deep, felt low-frequency bass energy from sources such as heavy bass speakers, industrial equipment or HVAC compressors that can be perceived even when not clearly heard. Ultrasonic sound, defined in the same section as frequencies generally above 20,000 hertz, gets the identical 100 dB ceiling. Unlike the district-specific dBA tables in § 123-13, which vary by emitter and receptor noise district and time of day, § 123-12's 100 dB limit is a single flat ceiling that applies regardless of noise district or time of day, measured at the noise zone boundary as defined in § 123-19.
Violations & Fines
A source found emitting infrasonic or ultrasonic sound above 100 dB beyond its noise zone is enforced the same way as other Chapter 123 violations: the Director of Health, who has enforcement authority under § 123-20, issues a written notice of violation under § 123-23 describing the excess and setting a correction date. If a reinspection shows the source still exceeds the limit, § 123-24 imposes a fine of not less than $20 nor more than $90, with each day and each night of continued violation a separate offense, subject to appeal under § 123-25.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does West Hartford regulate low-frequency bass noise separately from regular noise?
Where is the 100 dB infrasonic limit measured?
What happens if a business's bass or subwoofer noise exceeds the limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West Hartford
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