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

Stationary, non-transportation noise sources in unincorporated Tehama County, which the General Plan defines to include industrial facilities, trucking operations, tire and auto shops, car washes, recycling centers and similar uses, are regulated through the Tehama County General Plan Noise Element. Table 9-7 (Noise Standards for New Uses Affected by Non-Transportation Noise) sets an exterior activity-area limit of 65 dB Leq, day and night, for industry, with a 50 dB interior standard, and protects neighboring residential uses at 50 dB Leq daytime and 45 dB Leq nighttime exterior (35 dB interior). The General Plan reduces these standards by 5 dB for sounds consisting primarily of speech, music or recurring impulsive noise, and increases them in 5 dB increments where the ambient already exceeds the standard. Policy N-1.1 requires an acoustical analysis for new projects expected to generate excessive noise near noise-sensitive uses, and Goal N-2 directs the County to use zoning to avoid incompatible land uses and to protect existing noise-producing commercial and industrial operations from encroachment by noise-sensitive uses. For ongoing or aggravated operational noise, Chapter 17.77 (Noise Control) provides the nuisance enforcement mechanism in the unincorporated county, while loading-dock noise has its own 55 dB daytime / 50 dB nighttime Leq standard. Agricultural and timber activities are exempt.