Union City, CA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Union City, 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
- UCMC § 9.40.053(A)-(B)
- Per-equipment limit
- 83 dBA at 25 feet
- Property-line limit
- 86 dBA at project boundary
- Permit required
- Valid City construction permit
Summary
Union City caps each piece of permitted construction equipment at 83 dBA measured 25 feet away, or 86 dBA at the project's property line.
No individual piece of equipment shall produce a noise level exceeding eighty-three dBA at a distance of twenty-five feet. If the device is housed within a structure on the property, the measurement shall be made outside the structure at a distance as close to twenty-five feet from the equipment as possible.
B. The noise level at any point outside the property plane of the project shall not exceed eighty-six dBA. (Ord. 275-86 § 1, 1986)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4940544; v16 updated 2026-06-23).
Full Breakdown
Union City Municipal Code § 9.40.053 lets construction, alteration, or repair work under a valid City permit proceed during allowed hours only if it meets one of two noise limitations: no individual piece of equipment may exceed 83 dBA at a distance of 25 feet (measured outside any enclosing structure), or the noise level at any point outside the project's property plane may not exceed 86 dBA. Equipment that blows past both thresholds is out of compliance even during permitted hours.
Violations & Fines
A noise disturbance violation under Chapter 9.40; the Planning Department fields complaints under § 9.40.070 and can require a noise reduction plan under § 9.40.090.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a construction permit exempt equipment from any noise limit?
Where is equipment noise measured from?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Union City
How Union City compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·California rules heatmap·Compare Union City to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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Construction Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle construction hours.