Plumas County, CA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)

Plumas County's 2035 General Plan Noise Element, Policy N-3.1.4 (Construction Noise), states the County shall seek to limit construction noise impacts and that construction standards apply 'as long as such construction occurs between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekends or on federally recognized holidays.' Exceptions are allowed if it can be shown that construction beyond these times is necessary to alleviate traffic congestion and safety hazards. Table 3-5 (Maximum Allowable Noise Exposure Within Planning Areas - Construction Noise) sets numeric limits by land-use designation and time period. For Residential: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. is 55 dBA Leq / 75 dBA Lmax; 7 p.m.-10 p.m. is 50 / 65; and 10 p.m.-7 a.m. is 45 / 60. For Commercial and Public Facilities: 90 dBA Lmax (7 a.m.-7 p.m.) and 75 (7 p.m.-7 a.m.). For Industrial: 90 dBA Lmax at any time. These standards were adopted as part of the General Plan on December 17, 2013, and are implemented through the County's project review and (per Implementation Measure #2) a future noise ordinance. The County's chainsaw-heavy rural setting was noted in the EIR, where an operating chainsaw can reach 110 dBA.