Lower Paxton, PA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

The Lower Paxton Township Noise Ordinance, Chapter 131, was adopted by the Board of Supervisors on 3-10-2020 as Ord. No. 20-02. Section 131-2A bars any principal or accessory use, or any operation or activity on its lot, from generating a sound level above the table limits, measured at the receiving lot line. The table has three rows. Row 1 covers the lot line of a residential use in a residential district: 60 dBA from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. other than Sundays, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, New Year's Day, Labor Day and Memorial Day, and 55 dBA from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. plus Sundays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's, Easter Sunday, Labor Day and Memorial Day.

Row 2 covers the lot line of a principal residential use in a commercial or industrial district: 65 dBA in the same daytime band and 60 dBA in the same night and holiday band. Row 3 covers any lot line other than rows 1 and 2, at all times and days: 70 dBA. The table's note defines dBA as A weighted decibel. Section 131-2B then lists eight noise sources that the limits do not apply to: emergency alert sound, utility and construction work between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (emergency repairs not restricted by time), lawn mowers, snowblowers, leaf blowers and household power tools between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., agricultural activities including permitted livestock raising but not a commercial kennel, public celebrations authorized by the Township Supervisors or a county, state or federal body, unamplified human voices, routine ringing of bells and chimes by a place of worship or municipal clock, and vehicles on a public street, railroads and aircraft.