Nevada County, CA Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Mechanism
- Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans
- Nevada County Airport ALUCP
- Adopted September 21, 2011
- Truckee Tahoe Airport ALUCP
- Adopted October 19, 2010
- Governing policies
- General Plan Policies 9.1.20-9.1.23
- Flight operations
- Regulated by the FAA (federal)
Summary
Aircraft noise around Nevada County and Truckee Tahoe airports is managed through Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans adopted by the airport land use commissions, which the County enforces through compatible land-use decisions. In-flight aircraft operations themselves are regulated by the FAA.
5.1.4. Maximum Acceptable Exterior Noise Exposure: To minimize noise-sensitive development in noisy areas around an airport, new land use development shall be restricted in accordance with the following.
(a) The maximum CNEL considered normally acceptable for residential uses in the vicinity of Nevada County Airport is 60 dB.
(1) For the purposes of implementing this policy, no new dwelling shall be permitted within Compatibility Zone A. The maximum density of residential uses in the other compatibility zones is as indicated in Table 2A.
(2) A parcel on which residential uses are permitted by the local agency within Compatibility Zones B1 or B2 should locate the dwelling outside of the zones when feasible.
(b) New nonresidential development shall be deemed incompatible in locations where the airport-related noise exposure would be highly disruptive to the specific land use. The specific limitations are listed in Table 2A.
Full Breakdown
The County of Nevada (California) addresses aircraft noise through land-use compatibility rather than direct control of aircraft, because flight operations are federally regulated by the FAA. The General Plan Noise Element directs the County to protect people near the Nevada County Airport and the Truckee Tahoe Airport by implementing appropriate noise-compatibility policies and avoiding the establishment of noise-sensitive land uses in areas exposed to significant aircraft noise (Policy 9.1.20). The County ensures compatible development next to the Nevada County Airport by enforcing the noise criteria in the Nevada County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan adopted by the Nevada County Airport Land Use Commission on September 21, 2011 (Policy 9.1.21), and around the Truckee Tahoe Airport by implementing the Truckee Tahoe Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan adopted October 19, 2010 (Policy 9.1.22).
The County continues to enforce noise criteria consistent with those airport land-use commission policies, considering federal and state regulations, ambient noise levels, and how noise intrudes on particular uses (Policy 9.1.23). In practice this means new homes, schools, and other sensitive uses near the airports are reviewed for compatibility, and sound-attenuation measures may be required, rather than restrictions placed on individual aircraft.
Violations & Fines
The County enforces aircraft-noise compatibility through its land-use and permitting decisions (for example, conditioning or denying noise-sensitive development in high-noise zones). Aircraft flight operations and pilots are regulated by the FAA, not by county code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Nevada County limit aircraft noise directly?
What governs building near a Nevada County airport?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nevada County
California rules heatmap·Compare Nevada County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.