West Haven, CT Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)

The rule sits in § 154-5E(1) of the West Haven Noise Control Ordinance, which the City Council adopted on 10-14-2003. It is written as an exemption from the decibel standards, not as a stand-alone curfew, so the operative words are "during daytime hours." Section 154-3 defines daytime hours as 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. local time, and nighttime hours as 10:01 p.m. to 6:59 a.m. The code states the intention plainly: to prohibit the use of construction equipment and machinery before the hour of 7:00 a.m.

The definitions matter. "Construction" means any site preparation, assembly, erection, substantial repair, alteration or similar action for public or private rights-of-way, structures, utilities or similar property, and it excludes demolition. "Construction equipment" is any equipment or device operated by fuel or electric power or air or hydraulic pressure, used in construction or demolition work. Demolition has its own paragraph, § 154-5E(5): the same 7:00 a.m. start applies, but demolition that counts as emergency work is exempt from the noise levels at all times. "Emergency work" is work made necessary to restore property to a safe condition after an emergency, or to protect persons or property from imminent danger.

Outside daytime hours the exemption does not apply, so ordinary limits from § 154-5B govern, including 45 dBA at a residential receptor at night. Enforcement of the construction and demolition paragraphs is shared: § 154-13 gives it to the Chief of Police and his designated subordinates and to the Director of Health and his designated subordinates. When a complaint targets a construction or demolition site, § 154-11D lets the Director of Health try to mediate within 48 hours if the complainant is aggrieved and there are reasonable grounds to believe a violation occurred. Anyone living or doing business in West Haven can also apply to the Director of Health for a variance under § 154-11A.