Oak Lawn, IL Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing zone
- M-1 Restricted Manufacturing District
- Low-frequency limit (residential line)
- 72 dB, 0-75 cycles
- High-frequency limit (residential line)
- 32 dB, above 4,800 cycles
- Business-line limits
- 78 dB down to 39 dB
- Measurement tool
- Sound level meter with octave band filter
Summary
Oak Lawn caps factory and plant noise at the M-1 manufacturing district's boundary using octave-band decibel limits, tighter next to homes than next to businesses.
In the M-1 Restricted Manufacturing District, at no point on the boundary of a residence district or a business district shall the sound pressure level of any operation or plant (other than background noises produced by sources not under control of this Title...) exceed the decibel limits in the octave bands designated below. 0 to 75: 72 ... Above 4,800: 32 (residence); 0 to 75: 78 ... Above 4,800: 39 (business)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Code current through: Ord. 26-09-22, passed April 28, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Village Code § 4-8-8-1, any use in the M-1 Restricted Manufacturing District must keep sound pressure at the district boundary within set octave-band decibel limits, measured with a standard sound level meter and octave band filter. Limits run from 72 dB (0-75 cycles) down to 32 dB (above 4,800 cycles) along residence district boundaries, and from 78 dB down to 39 dB along business district boundaries. Background noise from vehicles or other transportation isn't counted. Irregular or intermittent noise that can't be measured this way must still be controlled so it doesn't become a nuisance to neighboring uses.
Violations & Fines
Enforced as a zoning performance-standard violation against the operating business; exceeding the octave-band limits at the district line is itself the offense, regardless of intent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Oak Lawn's industrial noise limits apply everywhere in the Village?
Does traffic noise count against a factory's limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oak Lawn
Compare Oak Lawn to another location·View the Illinois noise ordinances overview
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Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle decibel limits.