Stanislaus County, CA Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)

Stanislaus County does not - and legally cannot - regulate aircraft noise through its local Noise Control Ordinance. Section 10.46.080 of the County Code lists "Locomotives and other railroad equipment, and aircraft" among the sources expressly exempt from Chapter 10.46. The ordinance also states (Section 10.46.080) that the chapter does not apply to any activity to the extent its regulation has been preempted by state or federal law. Aircraft operations and noise are governed at the federal level: under the Noise Control Act and decisions such as City of Burbank v. Lockheed Air Terminal (1973), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) holds authority over aircraft noise, routes, and operations, and local governments cannot independently impose aircraft noise restrictions. California addresses airport noise through land-use compatibility tools rather than operational limits: the state's airport noise standard treats a community noise equivalent level (CNEL) of 65 dB as the acceptable threshold around noise-problem airports, and new noise-sensitive development within the 65 dB CNEL contour is deemed incompatible absent an avigation easement. In Stanislaus County, airport land use compatibility is handled through the Airport Land Use Commission and the County General Plan, not through Chapter 10.46. Residents bothered by aircraft noise should direct concerns to the relevant airport operator or the FAA rather than county code enforcement.