Owensboro, KY Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)

Section 17-8(a), adopted by Ordinance No. 64-99 in 1999, makes it unlawful to make, cause, continue, or permit any excessive or unreasonably loud noise or raucous sound that annoys, disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, health, peace, safety, or repose of persons of ordinary sensibilities in a residential zone. Subsection (c) then lists exceptions that are a defense to prosecution, and item (6) covers the operation and maintenance of airplanes, aircraft, locomotives, trains, brush chippers, vacuum leaf loaders, street sweepers, tractor-mowers, sanitation removal and refuse collection vehicles, and any other city service vehicle or equipment.

Because the exemption is written as a defense rather than as a separate permit or curfew scheme, someone cited for noise traceable to aircraft operation or maintenance can raise subsection (c)(6) to defeat the charge outright rather than needing a variance. Other listed exceptions include emergency sirens and alarms, festival and church-related sounds authorized by the city, noise reasonably necessary to prevent imminent injury, and domestic or commercial power equipment used in the ordinary course of business. The section does allow the city manager to grant special variances for other noise sources under subsection (d), but aircraft do not need one because the (c)(6) exemption already removes them from the prohibition.

No other chapter of the Owensboro Municipal Code in this export imposes a decibel limit, curfew, or flight-path restriction on aircraft noise within the city.