Escambia County, FL Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)

Escambia County's LDC treats noise from NAS Pensacola, NOLF Saufley, and Pensacola International Airport as a land use issue, not just a nuisance. 2(f) requires interior noise reduction for the habitable space of any new building or addition inside a mapped high-noise zone, measured on the FAA's 24-hour day-night average sound level, or DNL. Below 65 DNL, no reduction is required. Between 65 and 70 DNL, residential uses and educational facilities must achieve at least 25 decibels of interior noise reduction, and it is recommended for other noise-sensitive uses.

Between 70 and 75 DNL, residential, educational, public assembly, office, and other noise-sensitive uses must hit at least 30 dB of reduction. Above 75 DNL, residential and educational uses are barred outright regardless of any noise reduction measures, while public assembly, office, and other noise-sensitive uses must still reach 35 dB of interior reduction. 2(g) requires that when a proposed building or addition spans more than one noise zone, the county applies the stricter zone's standard to the entire structure. 1. The noise reduction required by the applicable zone must be identified on the building construction plans themselves and accomplished through nationally accepted sound attenuation methods, not left to a general narrative in the permit file.