Gary, IN Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Measured at
- District boundary or 125 ft from plant
- 0-75 Hz limit
- 67 dB residence / 73 dB business
- Above 4,800 Hz limit
- 37 dB residence / 43 dB business
- Excluded sources
- Motor vehicles and transportation facilities
- Applies to
- M1 district, extended citywide by Sec. 123-135
- First-offense fine
- Up to $2,500 (Sec. 1-7)
Summary
Gary's M1 Limited Manufacturing District performance standards cap industrial noise using an eight-band octave table under Sec. 123-217(c)(2): the limit at a residence-district boundary ranges from 67 decibels at 0-75 cycles per second down to 37 decibels above 4,800 cycles, with business-district boundaries allowed roughly six decibels more at every band.
(2)At no point either on the boundary of a residence district or a B1, B2, B3, or B4 district, or at 125 feet from the nearest property line of a plant or operation, whichever distance is greater, shall the sound pressure level of an individual operation or plant, other than the operation of motor vehicles and other transportation facilities, exceed the decibel levels at the designated octave bands shown hereafter for the districts indicated. Maximum permitted sound level in decibels along district boundaries or 125 feet from plant or operation property line are as follows: Octave Band Cycles Per Second Residence District (in decibels) Business District (in decibels) 0—75 67 73 75—150 62 68 150—300 58 64 300—600 54 60 600—1,200 49 55 1,200—2,400 45 51 2,400—4,800 41 47 Above 4,800 37 43
Full Breakdown
Sec. 123-217(c) governs noise for the M1 Limited Manufacturing District, and by cross-reference in Sec. 123-135, these same performance standards for noise, odorous matter, vibration, toxic or noxious matter, glare or heat, and fire and explosive hazards apply to all residence or business districts too, not just M1 property. Compliance is measured either on the boundary of a residence district or a B1, B2, B3, or B4 district, or at 125 feet from the nearest property line of a plant or operation, whichever distance is greater, using a sound level meter and octave band filter meeting American Standards Association specifications on the meter's flat network, per Sec.
123-217(c). The eight octave bands each carry two limits, one for a residence-district boundary and a looser one for a business-district boundary: 67/73 decibels from 0-75 cycles per second, 62/68 from 75-150, 58/64 from 150-300, 54/60 from 300-600, 49/55 from 600-1,200, 45/51 from 1,200-2,400, 41/47 from 2,400-4,800, and 37/43 above 4,800 cycles. Impulsive noises are measured the same way only if the meter needle fluctuates by no more than plus or minus two decibels; irregular or intermittent noise that can't be measured that way shall be controlled so as not to become a nuisance to adjacent uses under Sec.
123-217(c)(1). Noise from the operation of motor vehicles and other transportation facilities is excluded from the decibel table entirely. Enforcement runs through the zoning certificate process of Sec. 123-34 and the citywide general penalty of Sec. 1-7.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the octave-band decibel limits at a district boundary, or 125 feet from the plant if that distance is greater, violates Sec. 123-217(c). As with any Municipal Code violation, Sec. 1-7's general penalty applies: up to $2,500.00 for a first offense and up to $7,500.00 for a second or subsequent offense, with each day the noise violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What decibel limit applies to a factory near a Gary neighborhood?
Are these limits only for factories in the M1 district?
Does traffic noise count toward these limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gary
Compare Gary to another location·View the Indiana noise ordinances overview
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