Vacaville, CA Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing zones
- Nut Tree Airport & Travis AFB compatibility areas
- Easement recipient
- Solano County
- Easement form approved by
- City Attorney & Solano County Counsel
- Notice approver
- Director of Community Development
- Notice must show
- Map, noise contours, flight paths
- ALUC referral threshold
- Objects 35+ ft near Travis AFB
Summary
Any new home, subdivision map, or building permit inside the Nut Tree Airport compatibility areas or the Travis Air Force Base influence area triggers a mandatory overflight easement dedicated to Solano County under Vacaville Municipal Code Section 14.09.110.060. The easement waives objections to aircraft noise and flight operations, and the City withholds permits for new dwelling units until buyers receive a Director-approved notice disclosing noise contours and flight paths.
Dedication of Overflight Easements. Prior to the issuance of building permits for any new construction or the recording of any subdivision map or waiver thereof, an overflight easement shall be provided to Solano County. The overflight easement shall permit the right of flight in the airspace above the property, including the generation of noise associated with such flight, and shall provide for the regulation of the release or creation of electrical emissions which could interfere with aircraft operations. [...] Notice Required. No building permit shall be issued for any new dwelling unit intended for sale, rental, or lease until the Director of Community Development approves the form, content, and method of notice by which the initial purchasers, renters, or lessees of residential property within an airport compatibility area will be informed that the area is subject to aircraft overflight. Said notices shall include, but not be limited to, a map showing the airport compatibility area, the most recent noise contours forecast, and current and anticipated flight paths.
Full Breakdown
Vacaville sits between two active airfields, Nut Tree Airport and Travis Air Force Base, and Chapter 14.09.110 makes both a condition of building here. Under Section 14.09.110.060(A), any new construction, subdivision map, or waiver inside a Nut Tree Airport Compatibility Area cannot get a building permit until the owner records an overflight easement in favor of Solano County. That easement isn't symbolic: it permits the right of flight in the airspace above the property, allows the noise generated by that flight, and lets the County regulate electrical emissions that could interfere with aircraft operations. The City Attorney and Solano County Counsel must approve the easement's form before it is recorded against the title.
A parallel rule under subsection (B) applies to any project inside the Travis Air Force Base Height Review Overlay Zone shown on the City's Land Use Zoning Compatibility Maps: the easement there additionally restricts the height of structures and trees, and permits the City or base to access the property to remove or mark objects that exceed height limits.
Beyond the easement, no building permit for a new for-sale, rental, or lease dwelling unit may issue until the Director of Community Development signs off on the form, content, and method of a disclosure notice given to the first purchasers, renters, or lessees. That notice must include a map of the compatibility area, the most recent noise contours forecast, and current and anticipated flight paths. Larger or more sensitive projects, General Plan amendments, zone changes, or anything within 35 feet of the Travis influence area, are separately referred to the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission under Section 14.09.110.070.
Violations & Fines
Building without a recorded overflight easement, or occupying a new dwelling before the Director-approved noise disclosure notice is given, blocks issuance of the building permit outright: Section 14.09.110.060 conditions permit issuance on both. Selling or renting a unit without the required notice exposes a developer to code enforcement action, and any subdivision map recorded without the easement can be challenged as noncompliant with the Zoning Code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an overflight easement to build a new house near Travis Air Force Base?
What has to be in the aircraft noise disclosure given to homebuyers?
Who reviews whether my project is compatible with Nut Tree Airport?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Vacaville
California rules heatmap·Compare Vacaville to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Aircraft Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle aircraft noise.