Glenn County, CA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Glenn County, CA, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Glenn County Code § 15.56.100(E)
- Construction exemption window
- 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- After-hours standard
- Table B/C decibel limits apply
- Measured
- Beyond property line of origin
- Discretionary exceptions
- Available via use permit only
Summary
Glenn County's noise ordinance exempts construction site sounds only between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Outside that window, Glenn County Code Section 15.56.100 subjects construction noise to the same decibel limits that apply to every other use, measured beyond the property line under Table B.
Exemptions. Local noise standards set forth in this section do not apply to the following situations and sources of noise provided standard, reasonable practices are being followed: Emergency equipment operated on an irregular or unscheduled basis; Warning devices operated continuously for no more than five minutes; Bells, chimes or carillons; Nonelectronically amplified sounds at sporting, amusement and entertainment events; Construction site sounds between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.; Lawn and plant care machinery fitted with correctly functioning sound suppression equipment and operated between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Aircraft when subject to federal or state regulations; Agricultural equipment when operated on property zoned for agricultural activities.
Full Breakdown
100 sets equivalent sound pressure level limits, in A-weighted decibels, for every use in the county, measured for any one hour beyond the property line where the noise originates. The section then lists exemptions from those numeric limits for specific, time-boxed activities, provided standard, reasonable practices are followed. , meaning a contractor running equipment inside that twelve-hour window does not have to keep the noise under the Table B thresholds of 55/60/65 dBA (residential/commercial/industrial) in the evening period or 45/55/60 dBA overnight. passes, construction noise loses its exemption and must comply with the same evening and nighttime decibel ceilings that apply to any other commercial or industrial sound source, including the tighter 57 dBA evening and 50 dBA overnight limits under Table C when the noise reaches a dwelling, hospital, school, library or nursing home. construction exemption.
Violations & Fines
Construction noise generated outside the 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. window is treated as an ordinary violation of the Section 15.56.100 sound pressure limits, enforceable the same as any other exceedance of Table B or Table C. The section does not exempt after-hours construction sounds, and a contractor running equipment past 7:00 p.m. cannot rely on the exemption to avoid an enforcement complaint.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can construction crews make noise at any hour in Glenn County?
What decibel limit applies to construction noise after 7 p.m.?
Is there any way to get an exception for after-hours construction noise?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Glenn County
How Glenn County compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·California rules heatmap·Compare Glenn County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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