Construction hours in Yolo County, CA — sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances — set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Yolo County regulates construction by decibel level rather than a strict time-of-day ban. Under the Zoning Code noise standard, construction noise may not exceed 80 dBA Leq at the project property line (or 60 dBA at nearby off-site residences) from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and may not exceed 65 dBA Leq at the property line from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Any project that intends to generate noise after 10:00 p.m. requires a Major Use Permit.
The construction noise standard is part of the county's General Noise Standard in the Zoning Code (Sec. 10-8.416). It distinguishes between daytime (6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.) and nighttime (6:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.) windows. During the daytime window, construction may not exceed an average noise level (Leq) of 80 dBA measured at the site property boundaries, and may not exceed 60 dBA Leq at any nearby off-site residence or other noise-sensitive land use. During the nighttime window, the allowed level at the project boundary drops to 65 dBA Leq. A Major Use Permit is required for noise-generating activities after 10:00 p.m. Construction performed under a discretionary entitlement may carry additional conditions specific to that approval. Cities in Yolo County set their own construction-hour rules separately - for example, Woodland publishes Construction Noise Guidelines and Davis sets explicit construction hours in its municipal code.
Exceedance of the construction noise standard is enforced by Yolo County Code Enforcement as a zoning violation. Remedies include a stop-work order, modified or revoked permit conditions, and administrative civil penalties. Repeat violations may be referred for nuisance abatement.
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See how Yolo County's construction hours rules stack up against other locations.
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