Colorado's state noise statute sets the decibel ceilings Boulder County follows: 55 dB(A) residential, 60 commercial, 70 light industrial, and 80 industrial during the day, each dropping 5 dB(A) at night, measured 25 feet from the property line.
CRS 25-12-103 establishes maximum permissible noise by zone: Residential 55 (day)/50 (night), Commercial 60/55, Light industrial 70/65, and Industrial 80/75 dB(A), measured 25 feet or more from the property line. Exceeding these is prima facie evidence of a public nuisance. Daytime limits may rise 10 dB(A) for up to 15 minutes in any one-hour period. Boulder County's Ordinance No. 92-28 mirrors the residential figures (55/50 dB(A), measured at 10 feet) for the unincorporated area, so both the state statute and county ordinance point to the same residential thresholds.
Under the county ordinance, exceeding the limits is a Class 2 Petty Offense (up to $300). Under CRS 25-12-103, excess noise is prima facie evidence of a public nuisance.
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See how Boulder County's decibel limits rules stack up against other locations.
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