Auburn, AL Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 516.08
- Noise zone extent
- Half the longest planned runway length
- Reference noise contour
- 65-70 Ldn (FAA Part 150 study)
- Builder requirement
- Noise-reduction guidance given at permit application
- Enforcing agencies
- Planning Director and Official Building Inspector
Summary
Auburn's Zoning Ordinance overlays an Airport Noise Impact Zone around Auburn University Regional Airport covering land within the 65-70 Ldn contour. Builders inside the zone must be given noise-level-reduction guidance when they apply for a permit, and the Planning Department coordinates enforcement with the Airport under Section 516.08.
516.08. Airport noise impact zone and regulations. ... An area contiguous to the airport measuring one-half (½) the length of the longest planned runway on either side of and at the end of each runway centerline. For land use control purposes, this boundary shall be considered to be consistent with the sixty-five (65) to seventy (70) level day night (ldn) zone determined by an official Part 150 Noise Study or other recognized study, such as an Environmental Assessment, if a study is completed. ... Applicants for building permits or permits granted by the Planning Department in the noise impact zone shall be provided information at the time of application regarding recommended amounts of noise level reduction (NLR) in the airport noise impact zone as established by this Ordinance as well as guidelines for how such noise reduction shall be achieved.
Full Breakdown
Section 516 creates an Airport Overlay District around the Auburn University Regional Airport that layers three sub-zones onto the base zoning map: a runway protection zone, a height notification zone, and the noise impact zone addressed here. 08 defines the noise impact zone as the land contiguous to the airport measuring one-half the length of the longest planned runway on either side of, and at the end of, each runway centerline, a boundary the ordinance ties to the 65-to-70 level day-night (Ldn) noise contour from an official FAA Part 150 Noise Study or comparable environmental assessment when one has been completed.
Inside that zone, the ordinance does not ban construction outright; instead it requires the city to hand applicants information about recommended noise-level reduction (NLR) for the building type at the time they apply for a building permit or any other Planning Department permit, along with guidance on how to achieve that reduction, such as upgraded window glazing or wall insulation. 11 specifically assigns the Planning Director and the Official Building Inspector to coordinate with the Airport, which has a duty to flag any violations of the airport overlay sections to those officials.
The noise zone regulation sits alongside, but is legally distinct from, the runway protection zone's outright prohibition on schools, hospitals and assembly halls, and the separate height notification zone limiting structure height near approach paths.
Violations & Fines
Airport overlay violations, including noise-zone building requirements, are punished under the ordinance's general penalty clause: a fine of up to $500, up to six months in the Auburn city jail, or both, plus court costs, with each day a violation continues treated as a separate offense. The Airport must report suspected violations to the Planning Director and Building Inspector for enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Auburn regulate noise near the airport?
Does the noise zone stop me from building?
Who enforces the airport noise zone rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
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