Reedley Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits Rules (2026)

Reedley's decibel standards are set forth in RMC 5-1-18 (Ord. 723, 1989). Subsection E provides that a sound level exceeding the ambient sound level by more than 5 decibels, measured at the property line, is alternative prima facie evidence that the noise is excessively loud. For common-wall construction in condominiums, apartments, or business facilities, the measurement is taken within the adjoining occupied unit rather than at the property line. The ordinance defines normal hearing sensitivity in subsection C as a hearing threshold level between 0 and 25 decibels HL averaged over the frequencies 500, 1,000, and 2,000 hertz. This definition is relevant to the primary 25-foot audibility test in subsection A. The code does not establish zone-specific decibel limits (such as different thresholds for residential, commercial, or industrial zones), instead relying on the relative 5-dB-over-ambient standard. Impulse or impact noise is not given a separate penalty adjustment. The ambient measurement approach means that allowable noise levels vary depending on the background noise environment, making the standard effectively more restrictive in quiet residential neighborhoods and more permissive near busy roads or commercial areas.