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

Unincorporated Calaveras County does not regulate aircraft noise through its noise ordinance. Section 9.02.060 of the County Code expressly exempts sound from situations within the jurisdiction of the Federal Aviation Administration, reflecting the fact that aircraft operations are federally regulated and generally preempt local noise rules. Instead, airport-related noise is addressed through land-use planning. The County General Plan Noise Element states that aircraft-related noise exposure is governed by the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP), not by the General Plan's transportation-noise tables. General Plan policies direct the County to minimize noise-sensitive development in the high-noise areas around the Calaveras County Airport (Maury Rasmussen Field near San Andreas), to ensure new property owners are made aware of existing and anticipated airport noise, and to integrate the ALUCP into planning decisions. Helicopters and heliports are likewise treated as stationary or aviation noise sources under the General Plan framework. The General Plan notes that railroads and military aircraft operations are inapplicable in Calaveras County. These provisions apply to the unincorporated county.