Santa Maria, CA Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)

Aircraft operations near Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration, not by the City of Santa Maria; under the Airline Deregulation Act and FAA regulations, the airport explicitly states that 'aircraft noise complaints generally do not change how the airport operates and the airport has limited ability to prevent aircraft noise.' The airport runs a voluntary Noise Advisory Program: 'Significant aircraft noise is defined in the state of California as Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) 65 decibels (dB),' and noise abatement procedures are published to pilots through ATC ATIS broadcasts and FAA airport chart supplements. Aircraft access restrictions 'have the potential to violate the federal obligation to make the airport available for public use on reasonable terms and without unjust discrimination,' so the airport cannot ban specific aircraft types. The Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Commission establishes an Airport Influence Area that must be disclosed in real-estate transactions for affected properties. Specific safety complaints (low-altitude flight, unsafe operations) must be filed with the FAA Flight Standards District Office at (818) 267-3300; the airport logs noise complaints reported within 5 days of the occurrence.