Santa Clara sets decibel limits by zone under City Code Chapter 9.10: 50/55 dBA residential, 60/65 dBA commercial, and 70 dBA industrial, measured at the receiving property line.
Santa Clara City Code Chapter 9.10 establishes the following exterior noise standards measured at the receiving property line using an A-weighted sound level meter. Residential zones: 55 dBA daytime (7:00 AM to 10:00 PM) and 50 dBA nighttime (10:00 PM to 7:00 AM, extending to 9:00 AM on weekends). Commercial zones: 65 dBA daytime and 60 dBA nighttime. Industrial zones: 70 dBA at all hours at industrial receiving property lines. These limits apply to stationary sources including HVAC, pumps, generators, amplified sound, and mechanical equipment. The ordinance includes plainly audible standards that do not require meter readings, useful for patrol enforcement. Code Enforcement can conduct calibrated decibel measurements for complex cases, typically using Type 2 sound level meters. Noise must be measured for at least 15 minutes of continuous reading for equivalent sound level (Leq) calculations. Violations of measured standards by 5 dBA carry higher penalties than plainly audible violations.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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