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

Industrial and commercial noise in unincorporated Madera County is governed by the same general ordinance as residential noise. Section 9.58.012 (Applicability of noise ordinances to all land uses) states that the noise standards 'shall, unless otherwise specifically indicated, apply to all such property within a designated zone,' confirming the chapter reaches industrial sites. The core prohibition in Section 9.58.020(A) bars 'disturbing, excessive or offensive noise,' and Section 9.58.020(D) lists factors used to judge a violation, including whether the noise is produced by 'agricultural, commercial or noncommercial activity' and expressly notes that 'the county of Madera is a right-to-farm county.' Industrial vibration is specifically limited: Section 9.58.020(F) prohibits operating any device that creates vibration above the perception threshold (about 0.1 inches per second, 1-100 Hz per Section 9.58.011) 'at or beyond the property boundary of the source if on private property or one hundred fifty feet (forty-six meters) from the source if on a public right-of-way.' The County does not publish numeric industrial dBA limits in Chapter 9.58; instead, larger industrial uses are typically conditioned through Madera County's zoning and use-permit process (Title 18), which can impose project-specific noise mitigation. Agricultural operations receive added protection under the County's Right to Farm chapter (Chapter 6.28).