Floyd County, GA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Sound limit
- 55 dBA at property line
- Applies to
- small wind energy systems only
- Setback
- 1.5x total system height
- Max height
- 65 ft (150 ft on 5+ acre ag/comm/ind lots)
- Removal after abandonment
- within 90 days
- General countywide noise limit
- none set in decibels
Summary
Unincorporated Floyd County does not set a general decibel limit for everyday noise complaints; the county's only numeric noise standard in the Unified Land Development Code applies specifically to small wind energy systems. Section 4.2.13(d) caps a residential or commercial wind turbine's sound at 55 decibels on the A-weighted scale, measured at the property line.
4.2.13 - SMALL WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS ... c.Setback: No part of the system may be closer than one and one-half times the total system height to any property boundary.d.Sound Level: The noise level from the small wind energy system shall not exceed 55 decibels using the A scale (dBA), as measured at the site property line.
Full Breakdown
13, alongside setback, height, and safety standards, and the sound limit is one piece of that larger permit package rather than a freestanding noise ordinance. A wind system is capped at 10 kilowatts of rated capacity in residential districts and 60 kilowatts in agricultural, commercial, or industrial districts, with a total height limit of 65 feet (150 feet on parcels over five acres in agricultural, commercial, or industrial zones). 13(d) then layers a 55-decibel A-weighted ceiling on top of that distance, measured at the site's property line rather than at a neighbor's structure.
Outside this wind-turbine standard, the county code addresses noise only through general nuisance language, such as the animal-control provision that treats a habitually barking or howling animal as a violation, and a parks-specific ban on loud or unnecessary noise under Section 2-13-11; neither of those sets a decibel number. 13(g), and the Chief Building Official can extend that window on request.
Violations & Fines
A small wind energy system that exceeds 55 dBA at the property line, or that is installed without the required setback and height compliance, violates Section 4.2.13, and the Rome-Floyd County Building Inspections Department can require the system modified or removed. There is no separate decibel-based citation path for ordinary residential or commercial noise complaints outside this wind-energy standard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does unincorporated Floyd County have a general noise ordinance with decibel limits?
How is the 55-decibel wind turbine limit measured?
What happens if a wind turbine is louder than allowed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Floyd County
Compare Floyd County to another location·View the Georgia noise ordinances overview
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