Downey, CA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)

Section 4606.5, part of the noise-regulations subchapter added by Ordinance 508 in 1976, carves construction, repair, and remodeling equipment out of the numeric noise limits set elsewhere in Chapter 6, but only conditionally. The exemption applies solely "provided a valid permit for such construction, repair, or remodeling shall have been obtained from the City"; unpermitted work gets no exemption and is measured against the ordinary residential, commercial, and manufacturing decibel limits in § 4606.3. Even permitted work is bound by two hard limits: outside of emergency work, no repair or remodeling may occur between 9:00 p.m. of one day and 7:00 a.m. the following day, and construction noise may never exceed 85 db(A) at any property boundary at any point during a 24-hour day, a ceiling well above the 55-70 db(A) limits that otherwise apply to residential, commercial, and manufacturing land uses under § 4606.3.

A contractor or homeowner who believes even that 85 db(A) and curfew combination cannot be met can apply to the Director of Community Development for a variance under § 4606.7, attaching a $50 fee, a description of compliance efforts, and a proposed compliance timetable; the Board of Fire and Building Appeals decides the request within roughly 30 days of referral, and its decision can be appealed to the City Council for another $50 fee within 15 calendar days.