Sugar Land, TX Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- M-1, M-2 zoned noise sources only
- Daytime limit (7am-10pm)
- 65 dB(A) on residential lot
- Nighttime limit (10:01pm-6:59am)
- 50 dB(A) on residential lot
- Measurement point
- 10 ft inside receiving property line
- Exempt activity
- mowing, construction, tree trimming, waste removal
Summary
Sugar Land caps industrial noise bleeding into residential areas at 65 dB(A) during the day and 50 dB(A) at night, under Development Code Sec. 2-362. The standard applies only to noise generated on M-1 or M-2 industrially zoned premises and measured reaching a residential district, with day running 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and night 10:01 p.m. to 6:59 a.m.
Sec. 2-361. - Application. This Article applies to Premises zoned M-1 or M-2.
Sec. 2-362. - Maximum Noise Standards. A.Except as provided by Subsection (D), it is unlawful for a person to operate on a Premises zoned M-1 or M-2 a noise source that causes the noise level to exceed 65 dB(A) during the day on a Premises zoned R-1E, R-1R, R-1, HR-1, R-1Z, R-3, R-4, or MUC.B.Except as provided by Subsection (D), it is unlawful for a person to operate on a Premises zoned M-1 or M-2 a noise source that causes the noise level to exceed 50 dB(A) during the night on a Premises zoned R-1E, R-1R, R-1, HR-1, R-1Z, R-3, R-4, or MUC.C.Noise level must be determined by measuring the dB(A) taken at 10 feet inside the property line of the Premises receiving the noise.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Land Development Code: Supplement 14 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 55).
Full Breakdown
Article XIII of Chapter 2 applies exclusively to premises zoned M-1 or M-2 (Sec. 2-361). Section 2-362(A) makes it unlawful to operate a noise source on M-1 or M-2 property that causes the noise level on an adjacent premises zoned R-1E, R-1R, R-1, HR-1, R-1Z, R-3, R-4, or MUC to exceed 65 dB(A) during the day, and Sec. 2-362(B) sets the night ceiling at 50 dB(A) on the same residential districts. Sec. 2-362(C) requires the reading to be taken 10 feet inside the property line of the premises receiving the noise, using a calibrated sound level meter on the A-weighted scale with slow meter response (Sec.
2-360). The ordinance builds in tolerance for brief spikes under Sec. 5 minutes in any hour, without violating the section. Routine activity is exempted outright, including mowing, construction, tree trimming, and waste removal, regardless of the decibel level it produces (Sec. 2-362(D)(4)). Because Article XIII only applies to M-1 and M-2 sources measured against residential receiving property, it does not set a general citywide decibel ceiling for residential-to-residential noise; that is instead addressed through the City's separate general nuisance provisions rather than this numeric standard.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the 65 dB(A) daytime or 50 dB(A) nighttime limit from an M-1 or M-2 source is a violation of the Chapter 2 zoning regulations under Sec. 2-4, punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 per offense, with each day the excess noise continues counted as a separate offense. A property found in violation can be required to install sound-dampening measures or curtail the offending operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the maximum noise an industrial site can send into a nearby neighborhood?
Can a factory ever briefly exceed the decibel limit?
Does the noise standard cover residential-to-residential noise, like a loud party?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sugar Land
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