Charlotte County, FL Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential buffer
- 1/2 longest runway length from each runway end
- Governing section
- Charlotte County Code § 3-9-63(g)
- DNL nighttime penalty
- +10 decibels for 10pm-7am noise
- Barred from runway zones
- Hospitals, group homes, schools, multifamily housing
- Variance filing
- Site-specific analysis due 30 days before hearing
Summary
Charlotte County bars new residential development and schools from a buffer zone stretching half the length of the runway beyond each end of a public airport runway. The rule sits in the county's Airport Protection and Land Use Compatibility Overlay Code, which also defines the Day-Night Sound Level measurement used to size noise-impacted areas around county airfields.
Day-Night Sound Levels (DNL): A day-night twenty-four-hour average sound level measurement, expressed in decibels, obtained after addition of ten (10) decibels to sound levels during the nighttime period from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m....(g)Airport land use restrictions. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, no use may be made of land or water within any zones established by this section in such a manner as to interfere with the operation of an airborne aircraft....(2)Restricted areas for residential development and educational facilities. New residential development and educational facilities, as defined in F.S. § 333.01, as amended, shall be prohibited within an area contiguous to an airport runway measuring one-half (½) the length of the longest runway on either side of and at the end of each runway centerline.
Full Breakdown
Section 3-9-63 of the Charlotte County Code establishes the Airport Protection and Land Use Compatibility Overlay Code, covering land in the unincorporated county and portions of the City of Punta Gorda that lie beneath a public-use airport's approach, transitional, horizontal and conical surfaces. , and defines a site-specific analysis (SSA) as the review process that tells a permit applicant what sound level reduction construction is needed once a parcel falls inside a designated aircraft noise-impacted area. 01 are prohibited within an area contiguous to a runway measuring one-half the length of the longest runway on each side of and at the end of every runway centerline, and assisted living facilities, group homes, hospitals, multifamily dwellings, schools and explosive material storage are barred outright from any runway protection zone.
Outdoor lighting near an airport must be shielded or directed downward so it cannot mislead an aircraft in flight, and any structure over 200 feet above ground level must carry FAA-compliant marking and lighting at the owner's expense. A property owner boxed in by these restrictions can apply for a variance through the board of zoning appeals, but must first submit a site-specific analysis to the airport manager at least 30 days before the hearing.
Violations & Fines
Building a home, school, group home, hospital or multifamily structure inside a protected runway zone, or installing an obstruction or misleading light near a public airport without the required permit, is a code violation. The zoning official can deny or revoke the permit, and unresolved violations proceed to the board of zoning appeals or code enforcement, which can order the structure altered, removed or the use discontinued.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close to a runway can I build a new house in Charlotte County?
What counts as a Day-Night Sound Level under the airport overlay code?
Can a hospital or group home be built near Charlotte County's airports?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charlotte County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Charlotte County to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
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