Chapel Hill, NC Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)

Federal preemption: the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 limits airports from imposing new noise-based operational restrictions, and federal law preempts any local government from implementing any action intended to control the routes of aircraft in flight. The FAA holds exclusive jurisdiction over aircraft flight paths, altitudes, and operating hours. The Chapel Hill Town Code (Chapter 11, Article III, and Appendix B Noise Code) contains no aircraft-noise provisions, and properly-equipped aircraft operating with standard mufflers / silencers are listed among the major Appendix B exemptions. There is no airport within Chapel Hill town limits. Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU / KRDU) is located approximately 15 miles east-northeast of downtown Chapel Hill on the Wake / Durham county line and is operated by the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. The Airport Authority operates an Aircraft Noise Abatement Program through its Aircraft Noise Abatement Committee (ANAC), established in 1989, which adopted an Aircraft Noise Abatement Policy and monitors flight tracks and noise complaints. Most of Chapel Hill falls well outside the FAA Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) 65 dB contour for RDU - the federal threshold above which residential land use is considered noise-incompatible - although neighborhoods in the northern and northeastern parts of town (Timberlyne, East Chapel Hill, the U.S. 15-501 corridor toward Durham) may experience occasional overflight noise depending on runway configuration, traffic flow, and weather. Residents who experience aircraft overflight noise should file complaints with the RDU Noise Office at rdu.com/noise-inquires-and-complaints rather than with the Town of Chapel Hill, as the Town has no enforcement authority over in-flight operations. The federal mechanism for community-wide aircraft noise assessment is the FAA Part 150 noise compatibility study process - RDU has been a participant.