Bethlehem, PA Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Interior standard
- 45 dBA day-night average, windows/doors closed
- Applies to
- new residential structures near aircraft/vehicular/industrial noise
- Nighttime weighting
- 10 dBA added to 10pm-7am hours before averaging
- Compliance guide
- FHWA Pub. FHWA-TS-77-202, on file with City Planner
- Adopted by
- Ordinance 4254, passed June 15, 2004
- Default penalty
- $600 fine or up to 90 days jail (§101.99)
Summary
Bethlehem amended its adopted building code to add IBC 720.08, requiring every new residential structure affected by vehicular, industrial, or aircraft noise to be designed so interior sound levels do not exceed a 45-decibel day-night average with windows and doors closed. Builders can meet the standard through acoustical insulation methods drawn from a federal highway noise manual kept on file with the City Planner.
Add IBC 720.08 Installation of Sound Insulation
Any new residential structure affected by vehicular, industrial or aircraft noise shall be designed so that the interior sound levels do not exceed a day-night average sound level of forty-five (45) decibels (calculated with the windows and doors closed). This may be accomplished by the acoustical insulation of the structure as specified in the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Publication FHWA-TS-77-202 available from the City Planner.
Full Breakdown
bumped up by 10 dBA before the average is calculated. That nighttime weighting means late-night aircraft overflights or industrial noise count more heavily toward the 45 dBA interior cap than the same noise during the day. The rule is applied at the design and permitting stage: when a lot for new residential construction is affected by vehicular, industrial, or aircraft noise, the Bureau of Code Enforcement's Chief Code Official (who must hold both an Accessibility Inspector/Plan Examiner certification and a Building Code Official certification) reviews plans for compliance before a permit issues.
S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Publication FHWA-TS-77-202, available for review from the City Planner. The provision does not carve out a mapped airport noise overlay district; it applies wherever a specific residential lot is in fact affected by qualifying noise, which in Bethlehem can include areas near flight paths, Route 22/378, and industrial corridors along the Lehigh River.
Violations & Fines
Article 1701 sets no separate fine for this insulation requirement, so a violation falls under the Codified Ordinances' general penalty, Section 101.99: a fine of $600 or imprisonment of up to 90 days, or both. In practice the Bureau of Code Enforcement withholds permit approval or a certificate of occupancy until submitted plans demonstrate the required 45 dBA interior design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bethlehem require sound insulation for new homes near the airport?
How does the city measure the noise level?
What happens if a builder skips the insulation requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bethlehem
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