Del Norte County, CA Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)

Noise from aircraft over the unincorporated area of Del Norte County, including near Del Norte County Regional Airport (Jack McNamara Field) in the Crescent City area, is governed by federal aviation law rather than county ordinance. Under federal preemption, local governments generally cannot regulate aircraft operations, flight paths, schedules, or in-flight noise; the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed this in City of Burbank v. Lockheed Air Terminal (1973), which struck down a local jet curfew. The Federal Aviation Administration sets aircraft noise standards and runs the national airspace system. Consistent with that framework, Del Norte County's own noise ordinance expressly exempts 'Any activity to the extent regulation thereof has been preempted by State or Federal law,' which covers aircraft in flight. A narrow proprietor exception lets an airport's owner adopt limited, non-discriminatory access rules, but that is an airport-operator power, not a general county noise authority. Residents bothered by aircraft noise should direct complaints to the FAA or the airport operator rather than expecting a county decibel citation. Ground-based airport equipment that is a fixed noise source could still fall under the county's residential noise standards if it affects nearby homes.