Alachua County, FL Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)

29 restricts land use within the airport noise compatibility overlay to uses compatible with the high ambient noise created by aircraft on prescribed flight paths at public-use airports. It adopts the Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) noise contour lines from the Gainesville Regional Airport noise compatibility study completed under 14 CFR Part 150 and found compliant by the FAA on April 20, 2009. Within the 65 DNL line or higher, the code flatly prohibits residential structures, educational facilities (aviation schools excepted), and outdoor music shells and amphitheaters.

Where an airport authority hasn't conducted an FAA-approved noise study, the same prohibition on residential and educational construction applies within a corridor extending half the length of the longest runway from each runway end. All new dwellings anywhere in the overlay must meet noise-abatement design standards under 24 CFR Part 51, Subpart B, and HUD's Noise Guidebook. Uses located within the 65-70 DNL band, hospitals, nursing homes, churches, auditoriums, and concert halls, must build in 25 decibels of noise reduction. In the 70-75 DNL band, commercial, manufacturing, public-facing recreation, and government-service buildings need 25 dB of reduction, while hospitals, nursing homes, churches, auditoriums, and concert halls need 30 dB. 025(4).