Calaveras County, CA Noise Ordinances: Industrial Noise (2026)

Two frameworks govern industrial noise in the unincorporated county. For ongoing enforcement, the Noise Control ordinance (Chapter 9.02) applies the Section 9.02.030 standard of background plus 10 dBA in the day and plus 5 dBA at night at the receiving property line. For new development and discretionary projects, the County General Plan Noise Element sets specific stationary-source standards in Table Noise-2: noise from stationary sources reaching a noise-sensitive land use (at its outdoor activity area) may not exceed an hourly Leq of 55 dBA during the day (7 a.m.-10 p.m.) or 45 dBA at night (10 p.m.-7 a.m.). Those limits are lowered by 5 dB for simple-tone or recurring impulsive noises. The General Plan lists typical stationary sources of concern, including industrial facilities, HVAC and cooling systems, generators, compressors, pumps, batch plants, mining, and sand-and-gravel operations. Existing legal commercial, industrial, or mining uses that do not change their on-site activities, days, or hours are exempt under Section 9.02.060, and impulsive noise from blasting is separately capped by General Plan Policy N-1.8. Agricultural noise is covered by the County's Right-to-Farm ordinance (County Code Chapter 14.20). All standards apply in the unincorporated county.