Auburn, AL Noise Ordinances: Industrial Noise (2026)

Auburn's Code of Ordinances does not contain a dedicated industrial or commercial noise ordinance setting decibel limits at property lines a common feature in larger cities that Auburn has not adopted. As with all other noise in the city, persistent or excessive industrial noise that disturbs others falls under Alabama's disorderly-conduct statute, Ala. Code Sec. 13A-11-7(a)(2), 'makes unreasonable noise,' a Class C misdemeanor. The practical controls on industrial noise in Auburn are therefore indirect: the city's zoning code separates industrial and heavy commercial uses from single-family neighborhoods, and the construction-noise rule (Code Sec. 5-2) limits the hours of noisy build-out, with stricter morning start times where commercial or multifamily districts are adjacent to single-family neighborhoods. Ongoing operational noise from a plant or business is not measured against a numeric standard; instead, complaints are evaluated case by case for reasonableness. Residents experiencing a persistent industrial-noise problem typically work through code enforcement and the police non-emergency line, and the city may rely on the unreasonable-noise standard or nuisance provisions rather than a sound meter. Businesses planning loud operations near homes should expect the reasonableness standard, not a posted decibel cap, to govern.