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

Alpine County Code Section 18.68.090(F)(1) treats construction as an exemption from the general parcel-line noise limits, but only within set hours. Construction activities are exempt 'between the hours of eight a.m. and six p.m. Monday through Friday; and between nine a.m. and three p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.' The same provision adds that construction noise which does not exceed the maximum sound levels allowed by the section is not subject to those time restrictions at all. In practice, that means contractors and homeowners in Markleeville, Bear Valley, Kirkwood and the other unincorporated communities can make construction noise that exceeds the normal zone limit only during the permitted weekday and weekend windows; before 8 a.m., after 6 p.m. on weekdays, or outside the 9 a.m.–3 p.m. weekend window, work must keep sound at the parcel line within the zone's Leq(15) ceiling (60–75 dB(A) depending on zone). The County also offers exception mechanisms: special-event permits and temporary/short-duration activity exceptions can be granted by the permitting authority with conditions to mitigate noise. Because Alpine County has no incorporated cities, the County Community Development / Planning division administers these rules; project permits may add stricter, site-specific conditions.