Bay County, MI Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

004 of Part 62, Bay County's Noise Control Ordinance, sets a numeric decibel standard on top of the ordinance's list of specifically prohibited noises. Subsection (B) makes it unlawful to project a sound, other than sound from cars, trucks or motorcycles, from one property onto another within a use district above the limit set in Table I. ) ceilings: residential at 55 and 50 dBA, commercial at 65 and 60 dBA, and industrial at 80 and 75 dBA. Sound crossing from one use district into a district with a stricter limit must meet the stricter district's number.

Measurements are taken with a calibrated sound level meter fitted with a windscreen, using the slow meter response, generally close to the property line three to five feet above the ground. Subsection (C) exempts safety signals, warning devices, emergency pressure relief valves, authorized emergency vehicles responding to a call, and emergency work such as restoring utilities or protecting life and property from imminent danger. Subsection (D) lets the County Executive or a designated representative grant a temporary hardship permit if more time is needed to come into compliance, the source is temporary, and no other reasonable alternative exists; any permit issued must state its conditions and a specific expiration.