Garland, TX Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Note
- Industrial noise governed by Chapter 32 nuisance rules and UDC performance standards
- Sound Limit
- Property-line limits roughly 60-65 dBA day, 55-60 dBA night into residential areas
- Note
- Code Compliance uses sound meters during complaint response
- Fine Range
- Up to $2,000 per individual offense
- HVAC Noise
- Common sources: IH-635/I-30 corridor warehouses, HVAC, back-up alarms
Summary
Garland regulates noise from industrial uses along the I-30 and IH-635 corridors through zoning performance standards and the Code of Ordinances Chapter 32 noise provisions.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly: ... (5) makes unreasonable noise in a public place other than a sport shooting range, as defined by Section 250.001, Local Government Code, or in or near a private residence that he has no right to occupy ... (c) For purposes of this section: (1) an act is deemed to occur in a public place or near a private residence if it produces its offensive or proscribed consequences in the public place or near a private residence; and (2) a noise is presumed to be unreasonable if the noise exceeds a decibel level of 85 after the person making the noise receives notice from a magistrate or peace officer that the noise is a public nuisance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Industrial operations in Garland must comply with performance standards in the city's Unified Development Code and the noise nuisance provisions in Chapter 32 of the Code of Ordinances. Noise crossing the property line into a residential district generally cannot exceed approximately 60-65 dBA daytime and 55-60 dBA at night. Loading docks, HVAC chillers, compressors, and back-up alarms at facilities along Forest Lane, Marketplace Drive, and the IH-635 industrial belt are common complaint sources. Code Compliance investigates with sound meters and may cite under the general noise nuisance ordinance carrying fines up to $500 per offense (up to $2,000 for health-and-safety offenses). New industrial construction or expansion may also need to mitigate noise as a Specific Use Permit condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are back-up alarms exempt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Garland
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Garland to another location·View the Texas noise ordinances overview
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Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle decibel limits.