Austin, TX Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)

Chapter 13-1, Article 4 governs heliports and helistops located outside the airport's own aviation services district, and its noise controls turn on the permit process rather than a blanket citywide decibel limit. Sec. 13-1-171(B)(19) sets tiered 'incompatible noise' thresholds measured in decibels against surrounding land uses: 65-70 dB or greater is incompatible near residential, mobile home, hotel, school, hospital, nursing home, and worship or performance-venue uses; 70-75 dB near government offices and similar uses; 75-80 dB near retail, farming, and recreational uses; and above 85 dB near industrial and utility uses.

; Category III is a permanent heliport valid for five years and additionally needs a conditional use permit under Sec. 25-2-861. Under Sec. 13-1-183(A)(2)(c), the director may deny or condition any application that would expose a noise-sensitive area to incompatible noise, using FAA Integrated Noise Model data: equivalent sound level (Leq) for Category I/II, day-night average sound level (Ldn) for Category III. Sec. 13-1-187 additionally requires every non-hospital heli-facility to comply with FAA Advisory Circular 150/5020-1's noise-control and compatibility-planning guidelines. A resident, tenant, owner, user, or operator of an affected noise-sensitive or environmentally sensitive area has standing to appeal a Category II or III approval within 14 days by alleging exposure to incompatible noise, and the city manager must decide that appeal within 45 days.