Arlington, TX Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

Arlington's zoning ordinance segregates industrial uses into Light Industrial (LI) and Industrial Manufacturing (IM) districts, concentrated along the Great Southwest Industrial District, Avenue E, SH 360, and portions near the rail lines. Performance standards embedded in the zoning code require that noise generated by a facility not exceed defined ambient levels at the property line adjoining a residential, office, or commercial district, and Chapter 22 of the Code of Ordinances backstops this with a general prohibition on unreasonable noise that is plainly audible across property lines.

Typical enforcement targets include rooftop HVAC on distribution centers, compressors and chillers on food-processing plants, forklift beeping and overnight truck loading at cross-dock facilities, and impact noise from metal fabrication. Where residential neighborhoods abut industrial zones, Arlington Code Compliance will measure at the receiving property line (not at the source) and will apply stricter limits during night hours (roughly 10 PM to 7 AM). Facilities with grandfathered uses (pre-existing industry that predates nearby residential rezoning) still must comply with the nuisance standard, though their zoning compliance may be protected.

Remedies include required mitigation (acoustic louvers, engineered berms, relocation of loading docks), operating-hour conditions, and Class C citations. Tenants inside industrial parks should also check deed restrictions and any specific use permit (SUP) conditions, which often impose noise limits stricter than the base zoning. Violations carry fines up to $500 per day.