Buncombe County's noise ordinance sets no numeric decibel limit. Instead it prohibits any 'unreasonably loud, disturbing, and unnecessary' noise, judged by a reasonable-person standard rather than a sound meter.
Unlike many urban counties, Buncombe County does not measure noise in decibels. Sec. 26-181(a) makes it unlawful to create any 'unreasonably loud, disturbing, and unnecessary noise' and defines those terms qualitatively. Officers weigh listed factors: time of day, proximity to residences, whether the noise is recurrent or constant, its volume and intensity, whether it was mechanically amplified, the zoning of the area, and whether it can be controlled without unreasonable effort. Because there is no dB threshold, enforcement is complaint-driven and discretionary. Some incorporated NC towns do use decibel limits inside their own city codes.
Class 3 misdemeanor, fine up to $200 under Sec. 26-186. Continuing violations count each day separately; the Buncombe County Sheriff enforces in unincorporated areas.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Buncombe County, NC
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See how Buncombe County's decibel limits rules stack up against other locations.
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