Troy, MI Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

H of the Zoning Ordinance, part of the Environmental Performance Standards every use in Troy must meet, sets a flat decibel ceiling rather than leaving noise to a case-by-case judgment call: measurable noise emanating from a premises cannot exceed sixty-five (65) decibels as measured at the boundary property line. The section builds in one exception tied to ambient conditions: if normal street traffic noise at that location already exceeds 65 decibels, the noise coming from the premises may rise to match the traffic noise, but never exceed it.

The Industrial Business (IB) district gets a higher ceiling to reflect its intended use: sound levels there may run up to seventy (70) decibels without violating the standard. Because the limit is measured at the property boundary rather than at a receiving building's wall or a specific distance, it applies equally to industrial equipment, mechanical units, outdoor speakers, and any other continuous or intermittent noise source tied to a use on the site. 06's other environmental performance rules, covering airborne emissions, dust and fly ash, odors, electrical interference, hazardous substances, and glare, all of which a use must satisfy simultaneously; a use that meets the noise limit but violates one of the others is still out of compliance with Article 12 as a whole.