Southfield, MI Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)

Southfield City Code Chapter 120 (SS 9.351-9.356) governs aircraft operating over or landing within the city. Section 9.351 defines "aircraft" broadly as any contrivance used or designed for flight, and "heliport" as a permanent landing field for helicopters. Section 9.352 makes it unlawful to operate any aircraft within the city limits beyond the manufacturer's specifications, recommendations or limitations set out in the pilot's manual for that make and model, a rule enforced against unusually low, fast or aggressive flying over Southfield neighborhoods and the Lodge/I-696/M-10 corridor.

Section 9.353 requires prior approval from both the chief of police and the fire chief, or their designees, before anyone may take off from, land, or run air-lift or air-crane operations within city limits, other than at an approved landing field; the police chief must find the operation will not injure the surrounding neighborhood, and the fire marshal must inspect the site and rule out fire and life-safety hazards. Hospital emergency medical evacuation helicopters are exempt in genuine emergencies, and "public aircraft" performing official duties are exempt from Section 9.353 entirely.

Section 9.354 requires every pilot flying within the city to hold full FAA or military certification for that type of flight. Section 9.355 separately bans anyone from parachuting, or assisting a parachute jump, that lands within Southfield's city limits. Section 9.356 carves out an emergency exception so a pilot's conduct meeting an imminent danger to life or property is not treated as unlawful. Chapter 120 sets no separate fine for these sections, so a violation falls back to the Code's general penalty in Section 1.15, and the Southfield Police Department carries enforcement duties under Section 1.18 unless another department is named.