Chatham County, GA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)

Sec. 24-308 splits construction noise into two windows. , any tool or equipment used in construction, drilling, demolition, or preventative maintenance work for public service utilities that creates a noise disturbance across a residential property line or within a posted Noise Sensitive Area is a violation, with no decibel floor specified, so an audibility-based disturbance complaint can be enough. During the rest of the day, the section switches to a numeric test: a sound level at or across a real property boundary or inside a Noise Sensitive Area in excess of 75 dBA is deemed a disturbance regardless of how briefly it is heard, a considerably higher ceiling than the 60 dBA daytime residential limit that applies to ordinary fixed noise sources under Sec.

24-304. The section exempts two categories outright: emergency work or repair work performed by or for governmental entities or public service utilities, and the domestic power tools already carved out under Sec. 24-304(2), electrical tools and muffler-equipped lawn and garden equipment. Chatham County's Noise Control Officer administers and enforces Sec. 24-308 under Sec. 24-311, with authority to issue abatement orders against a job site, and a builder who needs to work outside these hours can seek a temporary variance permit from the Chatham County Commissioners under Sec. 24-310 by showing the work cannot otherwise comply and no reasonable alternative exists.