Dearborn Heights, MI Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)

Sec. 36-341 is the zoning chapter's performance-standards article, and its noise subsection lists specific examples of prohibited noise disturbances rather than leaving the rule to a general reasonableness test. Item 3 targets construction directly: operating any tools or equipment used in construction, drilling, or demolition work is prohibited between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, and at any time on Sundays or holidays, whenever the resulting sound creates a noise disturbance across a residential district boundary or within a noise sensitive zone such as a school, library, church, hospital, or nursing home.

The same subsection separately restricts loading and unloading, including the opening, closing, or handling of boxes, crates, containers, building materials, or garbage cans, between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. if it creates a noise disturbance across a residential boundary or noise sensitive zone. Both restrictions carry the same exception for emergency work performed by public service utilities. A property owner who believes strict adherence to the sound limits would create an unnecessary hardship can apply to the zoning board of appeals for a variance, but must submit a study of background sound levels and the predicted sound level at the boundary line to support the request; the zoning board of appeals may attach conditions to any variance it grants.

Beyond the specific construction-hours rule, Sec. 36-341(2)(c) and Table A also cap the maximum average A-weighted sound level permitted at a property boundary by receiving zoning district, so construction noise that stays within the weekday daytime window can still violate the section if it exceeds those decibel limits.