Aircraft-in-flight noise is regulated federally by the FAA, not by Polk County. The county's zoning code references a 75-decibel noise cone defined by the Iowa DOT around airports and may require additional berm buffering to reduce airport noise. Des Moines International Airport is the metro's hub.
Polk County cannot regulate aircraft noise in flight; that is preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration. The Polk County Zoning Ordinance addresses land use around airports: it references the 75-decibel noise cone as defined by the Iowa Department of Transportation for airport-related uses, classifies hub and reliever airports in the commercial general category, and allows the Board of Adjustment to require berm buffering to reduce noise. Residents near Des Moines International Airport direct in-flight noise complaints to the airport authority or FAA, not the county.
No county penalty for aircraft-in-flight noise (federally preempted); airport-related land-use conditions are enforced through the zoning conditional-use and buffering requirements.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Des Moines's aircraft noise rules stack up against other locations.
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