Margate, FL Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)

Section 9-6 of the Margate Code sets the construction clock for both residential and commercial land use categories. Subsection (a) makes it unlawful to operate or cause to be operated any equipment used in commercial construction, repair, alteration or demolition work on buildings, structures or appurtenances between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day. The same subsection adds a second bar: no operation of that equipment on Sundays or federal holidays. The permitted window is therefore 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, excluding federal holidays.

Subsection (b) lets the building official impose further limits during an emergency or other conditions affecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public, unless an emergency declaration under section 33-7 of the city Code already controls. Subsection (c) is the relief valve. Anyone who needs to run the equipment outside the allowed hours or days, based on necessity or the interest of public health, safety and convenience, applies to the building official for a special permit. A permit lasts up to thirty days and can be renewed in further periods of up to thirty days while the emergency or need continues. The building official weighs the facts, decides whether the stated reasons are valid and reasonable, whether public health, safety and convenience is better served by granting the permit, and whether the loss or inconvenience to the applicant is a significant hardship.

Two neighboring sections point back to the same hours. Section 35-0.8 applies a matching 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and Sunday or federal holiday bar to construction in the city right-of-way, adds school-zone restrictions from thirty minutes before through thirty minutes after pupil arrival and departure periods, and gives its special-permit authority to the director of environmental and engineering services rather than the building official. The noise code, section 33-79(g), lists construction noise as a specific prohibition and states that hours of operation are as provided in chapter 9 and chapter 35. Section 9-6 was most recently amended by Ord. No. 2021-5, adopted May 5, 2021.