Camarillo Decibel Limits Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Camarillo Municipal Code Chapter 6.30 establishes a receptor-based exterior noise control ordinance tailored to the city's predominantly residential and agricultural-edge suburban character in the Pleasant Valley area of Ventura County. For residential receiving zones — the dominant land use across Camarillo's established neighborhoods and master-planned communities such as Mission Oaks and Las Posas Estates — the permitted exterior noise level is 55 dBA during daytime hours (7 AM to 10 PM) and drops to 45 dBA during nighttime hours (10 PM to 7 AM). These limits are measured at the property line of the affected parcel rather than the source property. Commercial and mixed-use receiving zones are held to higher thresholds of 65 dBA daytime and 60 dBA nighttime to accommodate retail, office, and service-sector activity.

A 5 dB correction applies to noise sources that exhibit a discernible tonal character (a pure tone hum, whine, or screech), an impulsive character (repetitive banging or percussion), or continuous identifiable music or speech content. This correction is applied against the allowable threshold, effectively making the standard more stringent for those sources. In practice, this means a pool equipment motor with an audible hum near a residential boundary must achieve 40 dBA at night, not the base 45 dBA limit. Camarillo's relatively quiet ambient noise environment — the city sits away from major freight corridors and lacks heavy industrial land uses in most residential sectors — means that nighttime violations are often detectable at levels well above the ambient floor.

Enforcement proceeds on a complaint basis through the Camarillo Police Department for immediate disturbances and the Code Enforcement Division for ongoing or commercial violations. Formal decibel measurements for evidentiary purposes may be conducted by a trained Code Enforcement officer. The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) retains concurrent authority over certain stationary industrial noise sources, including compressors and process equipment at fixed facilities. Planning Division staff may impose project-specific noise mitigation conditions — including noise walls, equipment enclosures, and operational hour restrictions — through the discretionary permit review process for new commercial and industrial development.