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

080 lists eleven categories of sources exempt from the county's noise control chapter, and subsection F exempts "locomotives and other railroad equipment, and aircraft" without qualification. 030), the exemption reaches all classes of aircraft operating in or over the unincorporated county, including helicopters, whether on approach, departing, or engaged in low-altitude operations such as agricultural spraying or medical transport. 050 (the Table A decibel limits by noise zone and time of day) simply do not reach helicopter operations. 080(I)) are all similarly carved out. The aircraft exemption reflects that aviation noise is federally occupied territory, the FAA regulates aircraft noise certification and flight operations nationally, so a county noise ordinance provision purporting to cap helicopter decibel levels would run into federal preemption.

46 for helicopter noise complaints; any such rules would need to come from FAA flight paths, airport land use compatibility plans, or a specific conditional use permit's own conditions rather than this ordinance.