Yakima, WA Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)

Federal preemption: the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (49 U.S.C. 47521 et seq.) limits airports from imposing new noise-based operational restrictions, and federal law preempts local governments from controlling routes of aircraft in flight. The FAA holds exclusive jurisdiction over flight paths, altitudes, and operating hours. Yakima Air Terminal-McAllister Field (FAA identifier YKM / ICAO KYKM) is owned jointly by the City of Yakima and Yakima County and sits on the southwest edge of the city. The airport has two runways (9/27 9,401 ft asphalt; 4/22 3,835 ft asphalt). Traffic is primarily general aviation and business aviation with a small number of scheduled commercial / charter flights, two flight schools, and itinerant military operations (primarily helicopters tied to the Yakima Training Center to the southeast). YMC Chapter 6.04 contains no aircraft-noise provisions and YMC Title 15 (Urban Area Zoning Ordinance) does not adopt an airport-noise compatibility overlay around KYKM. WAC 173-60-050 expressly exempts 'sounds originating from aircraft in flight and sounds which originate at airports and are directly related to flight operations' from the state Maximum Environmental Noise Levels. The federal mechanism for community-wide aircraft noise assessment is the FAA Part 150 noise compatibility study process; KYKM has periodically engaged with FAA airport master-plan updates that address noise contours. Aircraft overflight complaints route to the Yakima Air Terminal administration (city/county-operated) rather than to Yakima Police, as the City has no enforcement authority over in-flight operations. The Yakima Training Center (U.S. Army), located east of the city, operates military aviation that is similarly exempt from local noise enforcement.