Sedona, AZ Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Status
- Exempt from city noise regulations
- Governing section
- SCC 8.25.030(A)(8)
- City enforcement
- None for aircraft noise itself
- Total exemptions listed
- 14 activities in SCC 8.25.030(A)
- Ordinance date
- Ord. 2021-08, adopted 11-9-2021
Summary
Sedona's noise ordinance carves aircraft noise out of its enforcement scheme entirely. SCC 8.25.030(A) lists 14 exempt activities, and noise created by aircraft is one of them, so the city's decibel limits and civil penalties in Chapter 8.25 do not reach airplanes or helicopters overhead.
A. Exemptions. ... The following uses and activities shall be exempt from noise level regulations in this section, but may be subject to other city regulations, including but not limited to the regulations in the Land Development Code: ... ... 8. Noises created by aircraft;
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Initiative Ordinance 2026-01, approved by voters at the July 21, 2026 election).
Full Breakdown
070. " The exemption sits alongside 13 others, including air-conditioning and pool equipment, church chimes, emergency work, city or state road work performed at night, and permitted fireworks, so aircraft noise is treated the same as those routine, largely unavoidable sources rather than as something a resident can force the city to cite. 25. 070(C), have no basis to measure or cite aircraft for exceeding the residential, commercial or industrial noise standards. Airport traffic patterns, tour helicopters and general aviation into Sedona Airport therefore sit outside the municipal noise scheme.
Violations & Fines
There is no municipal violation for aircraft noise under Chapter 8.25 because the activity is exempted outright, not merely subject to a higher decibel ceiling. A resident cannot obtain a civil citation, the $2,500-per-day penalty under SCC 8.25.070(A), or a habitual-offender misdemeanor charge for aircraft overflight noise, since those enforcement tools attach only to noise sources that are not listed among the SCC 8.25.030(A) exemptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sedona's noise ordinance apply to aircraft flying over the city?
Can code enforcement cite a helicopter tour operator for noise?
Who handles noise complaints about Sedona Airport traffic?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sedona
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